Gargoyles: Growing Pains
by Darwin
Summary: Tanner-Goliath and Elisa's son, celebrates his 15th birthday. But Lady Titania warns him of a gift that is of his "heritage". What does his coming of age hold? Complete!
1. Default Chapter

Gargoyles: Growing Pains

Chapter One: Not so Happy Birthday

Tanner looked out over the darkening skyline listening to the sounds of the city change as night deepened. Loose strands of his dark brown hair lashed wildly about his stern wide face. He was fifteen today, nearly an adult, and had grown into a very handsome gargoyle. He was tall, just a half a head shorter than Goliath, but lacked all of the clan leader's bulk. Tanner was near as strong as Goliath was however, making him a formidable opponent. He was very lightly colored, merely tan, a hue that made him conspicuous in the night sky. His face was a near duplicate of his father's, from the heavy jaw to the prominent eyebrows. Each eye ridge supported an elegant horn that curved around his head and slightly down at the ends, looking almost like a natural crown. He kept his long mane of hair gathered and banded between his shoulder blades. There was the exception of two strands braided neatly and falling just behind each ear. His wings were large and strong, carrying him over even the slightest currents. His tail was powerful, like all gargoyles, a formidable weapon in any fight. He had seen his share in his short life.

Tanner was born in Manhattan, the first gargoyle ever to claim such. He was a child of the city as much as he was clan, he knew its technology as well or better than Lexington, who had started Tanner on human science shortly after his second birthday. He could drive a car as well as he could glide on the strong breezes. He was a wizard at getting things broke down, fixed, and back together in working order. Yes he was indeed a paradox both to himself and to the Clan. 

His "Birth" day… Tanner laughed shortly without humor, then he sighed heavily and closed his eyes, thinking how it should have been his hatching day. The only eggs he had ever seen belonged to his half sister's young daughter, her current egg in the rookery, and those present at Avolon when he had visited with his father. Tanner emerged from no egg… he was born. 

In fact his skin tone was exactly that of his mother, the human, Elisa Maza. Goliath and Elisa had told him the entire story when he was old enough to understand it, and old enough to realize he was different from the rest of the clan. 

When Xanatos betrayed the clan it was her who had befriended Goliath and then the clan. She and Goliath had become fast friends and that friendship grew into love. It was a love that went unmentioned and unrequited for two years, for Gargoyles and humans were too vastly different for their relationship to be whole. There was always a certain tension between them because they both understood not only the way they felt, but also the reasons it would never work. Elisa had never allowed Goliath to speak of it, for the truth hurt.

Circumstances changed one night when the Lady of Avalon granted Goliath a full twenty-four hours as a human, allowing their differences to be overlooked. Tanner believed that Titania planned for him to come into the world thus, for a purpose he was yet to understand. 

A gargoyle comes into the world quite violently, tearing with sharp claws through the leathery casing of their eggs. That instinct proved bane for his mother. Tanner himself had to be sedated and extracted by emergency cesarean section when he followed his nature and nearly killed Elisa. She barely survived the ordeal, coming very close to death several times. She would bear no more children, from the damage he caused her. There was a measure of guilt in that knowledge.

Slowly Tanner opened his eyes noticing yet again his hands. He raised one in front of him… different. Yes he was different, from anyone on the planet. He wiggled the small digit on the outside of that hand that was supposed to be a fifth finger, little more than a nub with a claw attached to it. It was a marker of the human blood that ran in his veins. Though it was the only visible sign of his mixed heritage, there were others disadvantages to being a half-breed gargoyle. The biggest being that he was more easily injured, his skin was heavier than human skin but not as thick as a Gargoyle's, and therefore it was more easily cut. He had broken bones in fights that Goliath would come away from merely winded. He had adapted for that by becoming crafty, and by thinking before he acted. That was hard for him to condition himself to, for he, like Angela, had inherited their father's "short fuse".

Elisa, despite her hardship at Tanner's birth, had been proud of him. She had proved to be a devoted and loving mother, as much as Goliath was as a father. She had spent every moment of her free time at night at the castle learning with Tanner about Gargoyle life. But Elisa had recently been promoted to the chief of police in her precinct. That put her on the day shift and curtailed her excursions after the sun went down. It had been easier when she had worked nights, they had worked right alongside each other during patrols. Tanner honestly missed her visits and was beginning to resent her change of occupation. But if she had not been a police officer then she and Goliath would never have met, and Tanner would not have been born.

Tanner wondered silently if that would have been a bad thing. He was a being trapped between two worlds. Tanner could not explore his human heritage because he appeared to be a gargoyle and human society in majority still feared and distrusted Goliath and his clan. And while the clan treated him well enough there would forever be that small wedge that he was not whole. 

Even as much as they liked Elisa they were uncomfortable with what Goliath had allowed happening, and some of them were more vocal about it than others. Tanner was unsure if he would ever forgive Lady Titania for allowing the chain of events leading to his conception to happen. 

He had met Titania for the first time when he was but six. She had an air of arrogance and superiority about her that had irritated him even then. She had stared at and studied him like some prize experiment that was moving along as she expected, all the time with that smile of pleasure. He still remembered how he had shrunk from her, as the resentment in him had neared violence.

Goliath still led the clan, ferocious and proud as ever, though more and more he was turning responsibility over to Brooklyn. Tanner believed it would not be more than a year until he actually handed the mantle over to the younger gargoyle. Goliath had lost a little of his drive the night the clan had awakened, a year ago, to find old Hudson had not. His stony countenance still graced the spot of honor on the top parapet in the castle. Goliath had insisted, for old Hudson had been Goliath's Mentor and friend for the twenty-eight years that he had been Clan Leader. Tanner hoped silently that Goliath would hold out a few more years. He was unsure he could work under Brooklyn, when he was the most displeased about Tanner's existence, and made sure to make him uncomfortable about his mixed heritage.

Tanner looked back toward the clock tower, sighing heavily. He had seen so little of Elisa lately, would she not even show up for the day of his birth?

Standing out of sight was Goliath looking concerned for his young son. He had aged a great deal, since Tanner had come into the world. His hair was beginning to gray, and he had grown a neat beard and mustache. Facial hair seemed to only come with age for Gargoyles. It looked good on Goliath.

"Will he not come inside?" Came Angela's voice from behind.

Goliath turned to look at her, her dark hair ruffled with the air drawn through the open door. He only shook his head. They were easy to identify as father and daughter, their dusky purple coloring, dark hair and even their eye ridges were the same. Their personalities were very similar, though both of her parents had quick tempers, she was luckily more like Goliath than Demona.

At her side Angela had Timar, her two-year-old daughter. Timar was a rose color, several shades lighter than her mother's dusky purple, and had her mother's face. She had no hair at all but sported a growing crown of horns swept straight back from her brows and tapering longer to shorter as it neared her elfish ears. She was a quiet and introspective Gargoyle, constantly listening to everything going on around her. No one was even sure if she spoke for she had not uttered a word since her hatching.

Goliath drew a deep breath and then sighed heavily resting a hand on the doorframe. He heard Angela come up a step behind him.

"He has been very…withdrawn lately," She added.

"Yes," Goliath said drawing out the word. He glanced back at her saying softly, "Take Timar inside, I will talk to him."

He heard Angela draw away from him, Timar's feet padding quickly beside her. Drawing another deep breath, Goliath stepped out onto the balcony. Tanner glanced up at his father as he neared his brooding spot, "Father," He said simply, trying not to betray his own roiling emotions.

"Are you not joining the rest of the clan tonight?" Goliath asked his son in concern.

"In a few," He said evasively, looking back over the skyline.

Goliath looked down sighing again before looking directly at Tanner, "Something bothers you, Tanner," Goliath stated, "Will you tell me what?"

He was did not miss Tanner's glance at his hands, and his mouth thinned as the problem dawned on him. Tanner had fought with bouts of self doubt since he had been six, when all the others treatment finally made sense to him, when he had realized that he was different from the rest of them. Goliath held his tongue not offering his son a way to close this conversation before it had started.

Goliath saw Tanner's jaw set in a frustrated line, "I feel…alone," Tanner answered suddenly to which Goliath nodded. Tanner went on unexpectedly, "Half my heritage would run at the sight of me and the other…well, sometimes I wonder if they don't pity me."

"Pity you?" Goliath asked in surprised.

Tanner nodded, looking sidelong at his father, "They are too kind to me, patronizing almost. And I don't know whether it is out of respect for you that they hold their tongues, or that they are afraid of your reaction if they did speak up about it. Then there is Brooklyn, whom dislikes me for what I am and for the mistake he believes you made the night of my conception."

Goliath looked grim now, knowing all too well about Brooklyn's view on Tanner's birth. They had spent many months butting heads over the very subject when Elisa was pregnant with Tanner. With Tanner's birth Brooklyn had settled into the idea, or so he thought. Now it seemed with the Leadership of the clan looming on Brooklyn's horizon, the prejudice was rearing back into view, "Is that how you view yourself…As Pitiable?" It took a moment for Tanner to respond to the direct question, but he shook his head negatively, "Neither do I, nor does Elisa. Your birth was hard for them to accept and my choice was questioned. I know that all of this has been hard on you, but you **are** accepted here."

Tanner nodded silent, wanting to argue the point, but not seeing a way for him to win it. He looked into Goliath's eyes, "When is mother coming again?"

Goliath's face softened, understanding the hurt he must feel, "Come inside, Tanner," he said straightening and stepping toward the door. He turned back to see Tanner, however reluctantly, following him inside, looking dejected. Goliath stopped a short distance beyond the door, leaned over a moment, and then stepped aside.

"Well…I see you decided to join your own party," A familiar voice said.

Tanner started looking up and his face brightened significantly, "Mother!" He exclaimed rushing to gather Elisa in his arms.

"Oh…Tanner, you'll crush me!" Elisa said jokingly. Tanner set her down smiling broadly, "I'm sorry it's been so long," She said apologetically.

Tanner looked back at Goliath who smiled devilishly that the surprise had come off and then he turned back to Elisa, still holding her hand, "I thought you weren't coming!" Tanner added excitedly.

"I'm not so busy that I would miss your birthday, Tanner."

As he looked at her he realized just how much she had aged. Her hair was graying and her face was lined, but she still exuded a vitality that was startling. She dressed much the same way as she did when he was younger, blue jeans, black T-shirt and a red leather jacket. It was very different from what was required of her at work any more. He had seen her on several occasions on her way to or coming home from work. The skirted suit and heels did not suit her at all. He was amused to notice that she seemed just as uncomfortable wearing them.

He watched smiling as Goliath wrapped Elisa in a warm embrace, happy that they were still so enamoured with each other even after all of these years. He was happy for them.

He turned to see that they had gone all out and everyone that he knew, liked and loved (And even some he was not so fond of) were in attendance. There was cake, sandwiches, vegetables and dip, drinks of all kinds. With eagerness he had not possessed just short minutes ago Tanner moved into the room intent on seeing just how well they had prepared for this party.


	2. Titania's Confession

Chapter Two: Titania's Confession

By early morning the party had wound down, each Gargoyle and human friend having other obligations to attend to. There were still patrols to be flown, sleep to catch up on, and work to get to. Tanner found himself again upon a parapet looking now on the jewel-flecked canvas before him.

He did not even see it, all his thoughts were turned inward, his eyes unfocused. Running a hand through his hair and smoothing back one loose strand, Tanner smiled. The memories of the night's events had lifted his spirits for a space and he had truly enjoyed the companionship offered by all. Even Brooklyn had been in a fair mood, seeking Tanner out to tell him how impressed he had been with the action the night before.

When the crowd had separated the levity he had felt had dissipated like a wisp of fog in the light, leaving him only his doubts. He was suspicious of such a show from Brooklyn, when no favor had been previously shown him. Did he truly change his mind? Had Brooklyn actually begun to accept that in his heart, Tanner was truly a Gargoyle, even if his blood was only half?

Tanner snorted loudly, certainly it was not the case. There was nothing save Clan bond that held value in Brooklyn's eyes, it was the only thing, besides his relation to Goliath, that kept Tanner in this castle.

"Why so sullen boy?" A distinctly feminine voice said behind him. Tanner was unable to help the shock that went through his body at hearing her there. He whirled around to face the owner of that silky voice. Appearing out of thin air was the Lady of Avalon standing just feet from him. She was standing on one leg with a hand on her hip.

His eyes were captured by hers, going wide moments before protocol had him stooping in a grand bow, "My Lady." 

Tanner could feel her eyes on him, examining and judging him, feeling his temper rise again. He dared to look up seeing her smiling that smile that always served to irritate him. He noted that she looked no different from when he had seen her at age six. She was still thin and gracefully proportioned with a thin waist and wide hips. Her form was draped in gauzy cream and rose material that tantalized all who saw her with what those almost clothes kept barely hidden.

She motioned him to stand, seeming to know he was looking at her. He straightened turning to glance out over the city then back to her too knowing face, "I'm just thinking," He muttered wondering suddenly why she had chosen now to seek him out. He never considered it a good thing when she was around, father had told him too many stories of what happened when her attention or those of her creed was turned on his kind.

"I would think that you would be merrier today," The corner of her mouth turned up a bit more, "You're fifteen today! An Adult and equal now in the standing of the Clan."

"Somehow that's not a comfort," Tanner muttered, then turned back to look at her, "Why are you here?" He went on boldly.

An eyebrow raised above her mint green eyes, "Such a tone!" She stated haughtily, "I came here to give you my gifts, of course," She said smoothly, now smiling again. A feeling like lead dropped into his stomach. He was unsure that he wanted any gifts from this beguiling lady. Her face sobered, "The first…is not a pleasant one, but necessary."

"What do you mean?" Tanner said frowning.

"Do you remember when you were young?" She asked instead of answering his question.

"I remember being happier," Tanner replied his eyes glazing a moment at the thought of those times, "I was…carefree."

"And falsely so."

"Huh?"

"Goliath has told you of your birth, I am sure, of what transpired?" She queried.

"Father has told me of how my birth nearly killed my mother…Yes," Tanner said with a suspicious nod. He wondered where this line of questioning was headed.

"But nothing of what happened after? Do you not remember that time?" She pressed, "Most Gargoyles are aware in their first week."

He was sure he looked to her like a deer in the headlights, "I have no recollection before about my fourth week."

Lady Titania looked down and an expression of…was it guilt, passed quickly over her ageless features, "No I did not think that you had…I had to protect your sanity."

"Excuse me?" Tanner asked incredulously.

Before he could react she had closed the distance between them. He tried to back away from her proximity, startled by her sudden approach, but found that he was unable to move, even to blink it seemed. She gazed at him with her light pupiless green eyes for a moment before waving one slim hand before his face. He tried to resist the sudden fatigue that was causing his eyelids to slide shut.

He was in darkness behind his own eyes for moments before he had a sensation of sliding away and he panicked inwardly still unable to control his body. Down…down he slid as flashes of light and images streaked past his inner sight and he realized that they were images from the short duration that had been his life so far. He reached out intent on latching tight to one of those quickly moving images, trying to stop his slide back into what he thought might be nothingness. He could no more stop his regression than he could open his eyes.

With a sudden lurch he was thrust into darkness, and no sound surrounded him, not even that of his own labored breathing. He waited in the pitch trying to make sense of what Lady Titania was trying to show him.

The confining darkness pressed in on him from all sides and there awoke an overwhelming urge to break free of its oppression. Without thought he flung himself forward and lay his claws (Suddenly smaller than he remembered them) to what proved to be a pliable, warm, and fleshy substance holding him prisoner. 

Somewhere muffled by either distance or insulation he thought he heard screams, as of someone in intense pain. He continued to work at the surface before him, as the claustrophobia became more intense in him. It took him long moments to notice the change, as a taste filled his mouth, it was warm, salty and tinged with a taste of iron…Blood! He found his tongue working in his mouth searching for the wound that must be there. He found nothing, it was as if the taste came from his very surroundings. He cast blind eyes around him, scared about the implications of that. His conscious thought was overridden yet again by that drive to be free now a fever under his skin. As he returned to the work before him he noticed a slowing of his body, a dulling of his senses, and watched as if from a distance as his arms went limp and fell slowly to his sides.

Now there was sound, like a great heart, beating percussion all around his immobile form. This did nothing to abate the desire to rip and tear at that covering to be freed. His nerves jangled with the conflict of mind and body.

Above him a small shaft light broke through the "ceiling", growing longer and brighter as the slash grew larger. It was tinted red casting him in an eerie light, and he found his lax body rising slowly toward that reddish light surrounding him. He passed the barrier moments later blinded by the light now flooding the room. There was a sensation of movement again and he moved from light to dusk.

His vision then shifted forward, not far but enough to know that a passage of time separated his last vision to this. He was holding one finger of a very large hand and his gaze turned up to see who possessed that mighty limb. He found Goliath towering over him as he did often when he was young, keeping tabs on his young son and spending Gargoyle time with him. He looked forward again seeing a curtained off area in the middle of a large room. He realized then that this memory was not familiar to him. He watched with a sense of foreboding, as if he was looking over his younger self's shoulder, as the boy played and flitted alongside his father, yet never losing hold of the large digit in his palm.

His younger self continued to play as Goliath parted the curtain surrounding what turned out to be a hospital bed. On that bed…was Elisa…looking like he had never seen her before. She was younger, that much was obvious to him, but she was pale of face and weak of body. Something he knew he had never seen in her, at least that he could remember. The garglet that he was leapt to the bed beside her, looking down into her pain teared eyes. The garglet was motionless for long moments staring at her. A great sorrow welled up in that small mind…a realization of the part that he had played in her injury. It was a great weight bearing the lightness of that mind down and almost extinguishing it completely. His younger self said words that he could never remember saying, and heard his own mother's words of forgiveness. It should have absolved that feeling, yet he had grown only more sullen and sad that his mother was so generous in her heart. It was a weight that began to smother his young innocence.

His consciousness spun forward again and he found himself back in the present. He was knelt onto the hard cold stones of the parapet, his wings hanging limply beside him and his hands over his eyes pinched tightly shut. Even when he became aware of the return to his present he remained thus, reviewing the event in his own head. He was frozen…unable to move as the emotion swept over him. He had thought the guilt he had felt with just the knowledge of his parent's words was sharp. But as the weight returned, weightier, perhaps, for the time elapsed that he had never known of the burden, he felt himself curling inward. A depression was settling over him, and he found himself unwilling to face the lady he could still sense before him.

Another emotion came over him then as a question surfaced in his mind. Anger fought the depression when he realized why he had never known of those events before now.

"Why?" He whispered, at first not looking at her. His hands fell from his eyes and he slowly got to his feet. Glaring at her, a daring move considering, he went on, "You took those memories, that knowledge from me…why?" He bellowed.

One brow raised over her mint green eyes, as if she was amused by his anger, "Because," She began smoothly, "I foresaw what your life would have been. I saw you shackled by guilt, depression, anger, and self-loathing, unable to cope with the knowledge of what you had done. You would not have been a viable member of your Clan. I would not have that for you!"

"But Why?!" He bellowed showing the same depth of voice that his father showed when angered, "Why am I so fascinating to you? What makes me so special that you would alter my path?"

The Lady looked on him with half lidded eyes, her fair cheeks drawn in. She said nothing on her motivation, "I have undone the wrong, young Gargoyle, now that you are better prepared to deal with the pain."

"You think that it's easier for me now?" He growled, "This is like a pain in my heart, a steady squeeze of a mountain above me! How is a passage of a few meager years supposed to better prepare me to deal with that knowledge?"

"You had already been told," She replied in a calm voice, cold with a rising anger of her own, "That measure of distant guilt has cushioned you, made it easier for the whole of the truth to be told."

Tanner's eyes narrowed slightly, but he acquiesced feeling the knife-edge under his feet begin to tilt toward danger. He knew better than to provoke the timeless Lady of Avalon, she could be as destructive as a hurricane in her fury, and he dared not find himself on that side of her. More tactfully he said, "That my interest you held in your heart I don't question, Lady. But you have done me an injustice, for the pain and guilt are no less for the passage of years."

"Nor were they meant to be," She replied coolly, "But you **are** more ready than you were in your third week of life. It will not cripple you as it was to do then."

She smiled maternally then, and Tanner was hard put to keep the irritation at the look off of his features, "So I make amends, I will forewarn you of the gift of your heritage. It will be bestowed on you when you wake this very day. Do not be frightened of this gift," She said softly, then raised one slim finger as caution, "But I caution you in the use of the gift. Abuse it to your peril."

"And just what is this gift?" Tanner asked.

Titania smiled crookedly with mirth, "You will know tonight."

Before he could question her further a cloud of mist rose to surround her. A breeze slid tendrils through the air taking the shrouding mist with it. When the wind had torn it to tatters the Lady was gone.

"What could she have meant?" Tanner muttered to himself as he turned from the parapet and moved toward the stairs leading down into the castle.


	3. The Gift

Hi Guys! I hope that you are liking the story so far, I do have general destination for this story. I have to apologize for the long delay's between postings. I have officially overwhelmed myself by trying to write three stories at the same time as well as trying to revamp and repost a fourth. So please bear with me.

Thanks to you who are reading! Please review often…I want to know just how I am doing!

Darwin 

Chapter Three: The Gift

Tanner felt anxiety as sleep overtook him, casting his worried face in a stone grimace. What would the night bring? He was uncertain just what to believe from the Lady of Avalon, if anything. His automatic reaction was to discount all that she had said to him. He had never found a reason to trust her in his short life. His irritation with her mightier than thou attitude tainted him, and to find that she had withheld from him for the past fifteen years of his life a set of memories. Because she thought that he would not have been able to handle them? That had only worsened his distrust of her.

He shook his head, a stubborn part of him denying that Lady Titania was capable of any such feelings. It urged him strongly to forget what had been said, to rest and think no more on it. Still it pricked at the back of his mind. To what purpose would she deceive him with this information?

What if it was true? What if she had some knowledge of a change his adolescence would bring about? She had after all seemed genuinely morose about what she had done, and had seemed to want to atone for her lack of forethought. Tanner looked down contemplating the thought that something was about to happen to him. But what?

These thoughts chased themselves through his mind, transforming into odd dreams about possible results of his waking this evening. One dream had him shed his wings, lose his tail, his nub of a finger lengthening and the horns on his brow disappearing until he was wholly human. It was much the same as the story that he had been told by Goliath about his own gift from Lady Titania. It was a wonderful dream, being able to walk among the humans and be a part of their lives. They accepted him and he joyfully engaged in everyday human affairs. He worked at a steady job working with the electronics he loved, he was able to go to restaurants and visit friends without stares, and without the horror they sometimes encountered even now.

But as in most dreams it transformed into a nightmare as one night he returned to his human job hearing a shriek behind him. He looked over his shoulders to find that his wings and tail had returned, lengthening, stretching, and tearing through his human attire. His horny crown grew from his brow and one finger fell off completely revealing him for what he really was…a gargoyle. People who had been so accepting of him, friendly and carefree in his presence recoiled at the sight. 

Others tore their suits from their bodies revealing quarrymen robes beneath, their signature electric sledges appearing from impossibly small crevices in the office furniture. Tanner backpedaled trying desperately to be free of their hammer's reach. He found himself hemmed in on all sides, the sounds of charging hammers whining in his ears. Tanner made to leap to the ceiling to get out of their reach only to find that his feet were mired in some sticky and altogether unbreakable substance. He winced inwardly as the hammers fell on his frozen form.

A disadvantage to being a gargoyle was the fact that there was no relief to the horrid images presented to them in nightmares. As much as he wanted to wake he was unable to and only time was able to clear the images from his mind and let him rest. 

It seemed that his dreams had only just stopped chasing themselves in happy and fearful circles when the urge to wake from slumber became strong in him. He felt his blood speed up and his muscles become freer. He flexed strong arms feeling the stony skin surrounding him give a little. He pushed and twisted feeling the last vestiges of sleep fall from him.

Eyes still tightly closed, Tanner stretched grandly his roar echoing and surrounding him. He relaxed his waking stance and opened his dark eyes…to be blinded. He cringed back at the glare around him, suddenly certain he had been singled out for attack his all too vivid nightmares lending urgency to the thought. He blinked peeking out from between protective fingers trying to pinpoint the source of the blinding light.

Tanner heard no rotor blades that would signal the assailants were using helicopters, nor did he hear the whine of hovercraft fans keeping the smaller more agile craft aloft. The glare he had thought were spotlights was wrong as well. Instead of being centered on his form and pinning him down, seemed to surround him with a warm golden glow. Blinking again Tanner took another look about him. His jaw fell open as he spotted the blinding orb still hanging high in the sky.

Slowly his hand fell from his eyes to hang limply at his sides in his shock, "The…Sun?" He whispered incredulously as a wave of fear swept through him. He recoiled again, "What's happening to me?"

He tried to deny the reality of his situation, reminding himself of all the vivid dreams and nightmares that had plagued him throughout the day. That had to be the case now, gargoyles just didn't wake during the day. He straightened again as a thought crept into his mind…could this have been what Titania meant?

He found himself unable to move waiting anxiously to wake from this nightmare. The waking never came. Still he stood for long drawn out hours praying that he would either wake or that the sun would finally sink behind the horizon and release him. Tanner's heart leapt as the sky began to stain with color knowing his torture was almost at an end. He had only moved a few inches from the spot where he woke, but he was very careful to resume the pose he had gone to sleep in. He was sure that if he didn't one of his clan would notice the disparity. For a reason he could not explain he was scared to have the Clan know there was something else wrong with him besides his hands and his half-human heritage.

It seemed to take forever for the darkness to take over the light, for the day to give way to the night.

The statues surrounding Tanner slowly cracked apart to reveal the living beings hidden beneath stony countenances. Tanner carefully feigned awakening with the rest of his clan, trying not to be apparent when it came to his early awakening. He watched carefully from the corners of his eyes at the process of them freeing themselves simultaneously around him. He wondered at the process, it was fascinating to see something that he had only experienced himself.

As interested as he was his anxiety level was rising again. Should he tell the others? He felt about to burst, and felt a heady need to confide in someone. When the rest had relaxed and started to move off to take up his or her own pursuits, Tanner approached Goliath. If anyone would be willing to listen to his plight it would be his father. As he neared however Brooklyn approached the towering gargoyle and Tanner stopped dead in his tracks. He did not want to reveal another oddity about himself with Brooklyn listening in. But perhaps he could pull his father away for a few moments. Steeling his courage he stepped up to his father.

"Father?" Tanner started. Both sets of eyes turned to face him and Tanner got the distinct impression that he had interrupted a fairly important discussion.

"What is it Tanner?" Goliath asked his face showing concern for the expression his son wore, was it fear?

"Father I need some advice," Tanner added feeling very embarrassed.

"About?"

"Um," Tanner stumbled seeing that Brooklyn had not taken the hint, and that his father made no attempt to ask for more private conversation. It was expected, there were no secrets within the clan all discussions were open, "This is something that I want to talk to you about privately if I may."

"Of course," Goliath said, "Brooklyn, I will get back with you about your report when I am done."

"Right," Brooklyn said and then nodded, he threw Tanner a glare before moving off to speak with Broadway.

"What…" Goliath began to ask when Xanatos interrupted him.

With a heavy sigh, Goliath turned toward their benefactor, "What is it Xanatos?" 

"I just received a report that the Quarrymen have attacked another gathering for interspecies tolerance. They've taken several hostages."

Tanner looked up seeing Goliath close his eyes in frustration, "Will they never just let us be?"

"You know that answer as well as I do, Goliath," Xanatos said evenly.

"Aye," He agreed, "But I do not have to like it!"

Tanner frowned a moment seeing his opportunity to talk to his father privately evaporating with every second that passed, and that frustrated him. He sat on that knotty feeling in his gut, knowing it would sound selfish of him to insist on discussing his own problem. The others began to gather seeming to sense the tension now in the air with the knowledge of their impending mission.

"Surely this another ploy to get us into their clutches," Brooklyn said earnestly as the clan gathered.

"What else can we do?" Broadway added, "We can't let them just beat up a bunch of innocents, just because they want peace with us."

"Point well said," Goliath added, "We will help. We have outwitted the Quarrymen before and this time will be no different," He said, then began to dole out their orders, "Angela, go with Brooklyn and Broadway, approach the building from the back. Tanner, Lexington and Bronx, you come with me, we will cover the front. No one is to move in until I give the signal, understood?" 

Everyone nodded or spoke their assent and then the group dispersed. Xanatos spoke to their retreating forms, "We will keep you up do date on their movements and any other civil involvement."

"That would be most appreciated," Goliath said quietly.

They took silently to the air soaring out over the city and headed discreetly the direction of the newest in their seemingly never-ending crisis.

The fight lasted throughout the night. The Quarrymen were well dug in by the time the Gargoyles arrived. The problem with fanatics was that they always felt justified no matter how drastic or appalling their actions. Tonight's events were no different, using women and children as human shields as they fired mercilessly in their direction. Only their well-honed teamwork and high sense of caution kept them from serious injury. By the time that they were able to free the hostages and scatter the Quarrymen it was near dawn. Now there was no time to return to Tanner's problem before they were forced to ready for sleep. 

With a heavy heart and a lot of dread, Tanner resumed his position on the wall wondering and hoping that his early awakening had been a fluke and that his life would return to as normal as it had ever been.


	4. Yet Another Day

OK Finally, another chapter for your perusal. Please R&R I know that this a bit slow to build to a point, but there is one that I am getting to. Thank you for bearing with my long delays.

Darwin

Chapter Four: Yet Another Day

Tanner's dread turned out to be very real the following day when he again woke hours before the rest of his clan. He had been half expecting it but was no less shocked and anxious when it came to be. His shoulders sagged visibly seeing the bright orb hanging high in the sky. He gazed about him seeing the gallery of statues still surrounding him. So this _was_ what Lady Titania had been speaking of, though he could not see just what she meant by it being a gift. It was a curse, he thought stubbornly, what good was waking before the rest of the family? There was nothing for him to do each day but wait, unable to leave for fear of being found out.

Reluctantly he moved away from his perch, hunched over as if he was about to get caught by someone doing something wrong. He gravitated toward the nearest Clan member, his sister, still locked in the stony embrace of sleep. His eyes searched her face detailing each facet of her features. He had never seen their sleep from this perspective, and it was as eerie as it had been watching his fellow clan members wake the night previous. 

A shiver ran through him, ice in his veins, looking on her countenance and then remembering the night when Hudson had not wakened. Pain lanced through his heart at that memory, for Hudson had been exactly what he pictured a human Grandfather to be like. Paternal and indulging, but tough when the need arose, and he had been the one member besides Goliath and Angela that treated him as truly a member of the Clan. Hudson had explained how deep the relationship between Goliath and Elisa had been, for almost as long as the two had known each other. He had said that any product of a love so strong as theirs was nothing short upstanding, an equal in his eyes.

He focused again on his half sister's face then his eyes glanced down to her young daughter crouched at her feet. He smiled at the positions that they had posed in before going to sleep. Gargoyles always assumed thoughtful or threatening poses. This served to blend them in with the other stone Gargoyles, the ones that were truly stone. Those carved figures were based in the long past on the true defenders that had been seen by the artists. Such as those decorated many of the older buildings within the city. It was considered a defensive mechanism, their posture, one that had ensured their survival over many long thousands of years.

Still smiling he mantled his wings and moved around the circumference of the tower looking at each of his clan mates in turn, studying and reflecting on each of them, and how they had treated him in his short life. There was Broadway his huge girth overshadowing him and blocking the bright sun, he had always seemed indifferent about Tanner, seeming undecided about just how he felt toward the young halfblooded gargoyle. He had never been openly aggressive or condescending to him, and often Tanner wondered just what opinion he hid.

Lexington crouched slightly leaned forward and with his arms above his head, seemingly in the process of leaping. His slight frame showed wiry muscles standing out in sharp relief. The diminutive gargoyle had been very eager to teach Tanner all that he knew about technology and Tanner had always proved a good student. He had absorbed Lex's lessons well. But again he often wondered if he taught Tanner because he was lonely for someone who was interested in the same things he was or he truly liked the younger, if larger, gargoyle.

Bronx…the one gargoyle in the clan that did not judge him, one way or another. Bronx was always friendly to any member of the clan, just as human dogs were usually friendly to their families. Tanner had nothing to complain about when it came to the oversized Gargoyle dog.

His pace slowed considerably and he stood staring for long moments at the next statue he came to. He looked over Brooklyn's face his own face turning into one of smoldering frustration. 

"Why do you hate me so?" Tanner whispered to the unaware statue, "When all I ever did was be born…"

He was met with only silence, Brooklyn's unseeing eyes turned outward staring out over the city they protected and Tanner drew a heavy sigh. Brooklyn was pragmatic, a very level head, and a huge asset in a fight due to his smaller size and quick wits. Overall he was a consummate leader, and Tanner could not fault Goliath's choice in putting Brooklyn as Second in Command. So why did the obviously well suited second find such irritation in his existence.

Tanner couldn't help but wonder why he had always been so afraid of Brooklyn, or what the second thought of him. No that wasn't right, he was not afraid of Brooklyn persay, he was afraid of the treatment he might receive from the older gargoyle once he was in power. As sly as Brooklyn was there would be some way for him to get unfair treatment even under Goliath's tutorship.

"He's going to be in charge soon…Too soon," Tanner muttered to himself. He shook his head again and turned back toward the tower. 

The young Gargoyle turned his eyes up to the parapet seeing the lone statue well above him. Goliath's features showed in sharp relief, etched by the rays of the sun. Goliath stood in silent grace there above him, poised in a state of deep concentration, as was typical lately. His father was troubled, though he would never admit such, troubled by Hudson's death, by the current state of the world they lived in, and possibly by the thought that he had a son that was so much different from them all. Tanner frowned, telling himself that his father would not fall prey to such thoughts as Tanner's differences.

He skirted the tower again until he was back in front of his own nightly perch. Some of his anxiety had worn off now and the thought of several hours of boredom ahead of him set him into spiraling thoughts. 

Why had he started to wake before the rest of the clan? That was a thorny question when none of this had happened to him before. Could Titania have given this gift to him, bestowed the ability to wake hours before his brethren? But to what end? What would her purpose be to give him such a weighty gift? What was he to do with it? 

His mouth thinned considerably, somehow he doubted that even Titania could give him a gift so great as this. What had she said? "I will warn you of a gift of your heritage…" He had paid little attention to the words at the time. Now they seemed to beat at him trying to make him understand some meaning that was eluding him. A light flickered a moment in his head then snuffed before he could grasp it.

"Of your heritage?" He repeated in a low tone, "What did she mean?"

It could be nothing from the Gargoyle blood in his veins…beyond Goliath's stories about his time seeing the sun, and those only by one magic or another, there were no instances of Gargoyles having the ability to wake before sunset. It was a physiological impossibility. 

His gut twisted a moment as it finally hit him. Could it be that this was because he was half-human? Tanner had been always a bit jealous of his few human friends, his mom, Inspector Bluestone, and the few others that would associate with their ilk in these strenuous times, how they were able to sleep only when they wanted or needed to. Life as a gargoyle had always had that kind of limitation to it, an inability to control the hold the sun had over them, and there had always been a part of him that wanted the kind of freedom humans possessed as an everyday right. 

He had been told many times by humans and gargoyles alike that it would take very little for him to appear human. His skin tone was such that he looked like a well tanned human, of Indian descent, and all that had to be hidden was his tail and his abnormal facial features. Both easily done…in fact he had done just that many times, spying at night for his clan on such as the quarrymen, the mob, and sometimes just hoods on the street that had drawn the clan's interest. Those had been thrilling times for him, times when he didn't feel so alone, so ostracized.

His thoughts stopped abruptly mulling over the thrill that he had felt the warm acceptance that had washed over him at the moments when, because of his input they had stopped some very bad situations. It was only then that the possibilities of his new situation came to mind in him. Tanner slowly straightened a slight smile turning one corner of his mouth up. Things that he had always wanted to do flitted through him mind, always apart from him by the fact that he was only awake during the night. In combination with his ease of blending into the population…some of those fond wishes might just come to fruition.

His anxiety slowly turned to excitement as his thoughts took on life of its own. The hours snailed by as he waited, practically bouncing on the balls of his feet with his prepared story that would get him the needed time away from the clan to do what he intended.

Tanner turned somersaults in the air as he sped away from the castle, ecstatic that his story had been believed. Catching a strong updraft he executed a flawless inverted loop twisting again to put the ground below him instead of above. He was unable to help his exuberance, his energy overflowed with the knowledge that he plan had worked. 

He had known of a concert that the humans were having at midnight, an odd time, but not totally unusual, after all it was New York. He had begged his father to let him go, showing a very realistic interest in the happenings at the concert hall. Goliath had looked reluctant to allow him out of sight of the rest of the clan, especially overnight, but many vows of caution from Tanner, and his earnest pleas had finally convinced his father that he could be trusted. They had believed him! But then again why wouldn't they? He had never lied to his father, or to the rest of the clan. They did not think it possible of him.

His gut twinged slightly at the thought of breaking his otherwise clean record by committing such an egregious sin. The guilt was quickly overwhelmed by the widening possibilities before him now. He flew on intent on going to the concert. That at least was not a lie, he truly liked the kind of music that would be playing there. The human's called it "Alternative" music and it suited Tanner to a "T", moody, depressing and seemed to say a lot of what he was thinking. The artists spoke heavily of not being understood, of feeling isolated and alone even when surrounded by familiar faces. These were things Tanner understood all too well. 

Lex however disapproving he had been for Tanner's taste in music had oddly seemed to understand his fascination, calling it a "teenager thing" and explaining that he had had his own forms of rebellion in his youth. Tanner smiled to himself as another draft lifted him higher into the night sky.

He glided down toward the concert hall thinking about the second part of his plan knowing he was free to roam the city once he woke this coming day. The thought reminded him of the pack on his back, his wings bumped it lightly as he fanned and mantled his wings, playing in the ebb and flow of the wind currents. It was filled with "treats", he had told the others. He could not exactly swoop down upon the gedunk venders and purchase refreshments from them as the concert went on. So he had claimed to pack it with his favorite snacks and drinks.

That description of its contents was a lie, it held his overcoat and a few other items that Tanner used to hide his true identity to the humans around him. He would be using them in the coming day, exploring places he had always wanted to and had never been able to. The Clan would be none the wiser for his foray not expecting him to be back until well after dark tomorrow night. It was as if the reins on his life had been removed filling him with a giddy excitement. A gift indeed! And he had no intention of letting the opportunity to practice his gift slip by him.


	5. Benefits and Drawbacks

I have been very neglectful of my duties as late. I do hope that you will still read and review this. I have been trying to concentrate on some of my easier projects and getting them out of the way before moving on. But as requested I will "Post more already!" Thanks for the kick in the butt!

Please take some time to visit my web site. Here you will find all of my stories in one central location, and linked directly to the first chapter of each in their respective writing sites (Either Fanfiction.net or fictionpress.net) also you will find a fairly extensive collection of drawings and art that I have drawn over the years. Please take a look: www.darwinsdomain.net and let me know what you think!

Thanks for reading and I look forward to hearing from you!

Darwin

Chapter Five: Benefits and Drawbacks

Tanner gained altitude as he neared his destination. His breath caught in his throat as he caught sight of the enormity of the midnight crowd. From his vantage it was a vast moving sea of many colored dots under the intense stadium lighting. Night had been turned into day below the glare, and that gave him a measure of relief knowing that anyone who looked up would be blinded by the lights and would not see him.

Tanner circled the area once, feeling the thrumming base as one of the bands played below him. He could just barely pick out the distorted chords of guitars and strains of lyrics wafting up to him at intervals. Tanner smiled again and began descending. Swooping in low Tanner landed lightly behind several neatly trimmed bushes with a white stone building at his back. Glancing quickly around him, Tanner released his pack from his back and pulled out the several articles that would hide his true identity from those attending the concert. He wanted to ensure that he would not be disturbed by anyone as he made his transformation.

Tanner folded his wings close to his body, hooking the shortest finger at the knuckle of each wing over his shoulders. He tucked the trailing leathers and the supporting fingers into specially designed pockets in the overcoat. The coat pockets effectively hid them from any casual onlookers. Just as carefully Tanner curled his tail up lashing the prehensile tip through the belt at his waist so that it did not drape beyond the confines of the outfit.

Tanner pulled the overcoat the rest of the way on buttoning it up enough to prevent a view of his overlong feet and odd stance. To hide his brow ridges and crown-like horns Tanner had folded a bandana into a two and one half inch strip and tied it about his forehead. He smiled again and nodded at his own ingenuity. Picking up the now empty pack and slinging it over one shoulder Tanner stepped out of concealment and turned toward the noisy gathering of humans.

Tanner stopped again just outside the influence of the bright lights watching the activity. Eddies of humans swirled and flowed past his spot in a ponderous dance slowly moving closer and again further from the stage well to the other side of where he stood. They mingled and mixed, dancing and singing with varying talent along with the omnipresent music now vibrating the air.

Without and real conscious thought Tanners head began bobbing in time and a slight smile twitched one corner of his mouth. His tension slipped away and shoving his hands deep in the outer pockets of his coat he allowed his feet to take him further into the mass of bodies.

Having successfully integrated himself into the current he took a moment to pause by a gargantuan screen. Colors swirled across it interspersed with images coming from the stage, the band sang and danced alternately singing melancholy ballads and raucous rock pieces. Their images were huge upon the screen and looked like an oft-repeated image of demigods come to life and lording over the festivities.

He moved aimlessly really, allowing the music to carry him. Bodies jostled all around him passively altering his course as they pressed against his flesh. He felt energized and alive in a way that he had never felt before. He was free of the restrictions placed on him by the Clan, something that he could never claim before now. Always he had been with another flying patrol, going out to see movies, and the only respite he was able to take was in a small corner of one of the castle rooms, a place Xanatos had allowed him to keep for himself. But now! He was going to be able to do all the things that he had been dreaming of! And it started with this concert, then tomorrow when he awoke he would wander the city seeing sites that he had only seen at night and from a height.

He watched with decided interest as a small knot of young men danced past him, exuberantly leaping into the air, bouncing off one another and generally seeing how many bruises they could give each other. Tanner laughed to himself, realizing that humans tended to be much less reserved than Gargoyles.

Tanner started to move forward again eyes still on the boys quickly being swallowed again by the crowd. He had only taken a step when he ran into another body and none too lightly. He stepped back quickly so as not to step on the person, seeing that the impact has caused them to fall. Tanner reacted with reflexes honed by many battles, scooping up the person before the press of the crowd trampled over them both.

"I'm so sorry," Tanner said automatically as he set the human back on their feet. His works caught in his throat as he actually took a close look at the human. She was probably the most beautiful human that he had ever seen.

She smiled in a bemused way as she moved long blond wavy tresses out of her face. Her eyes were a blue a shade darker than the sea and they twinkled, not with anger, though she should have every right to be angry for being run down. No, her eyes sparkled with amusement and friendliness. The woman's face was slightly rounded with a bare hint of cheekbones and her nose was small but not such that it detracted from the beauty of her face. Her lips were neither full nor thin, but seemed perfect, complementing her in a way that Tanner couldn't explain to himself.

She was dressed in a tight black half tank top over which she wore a sequined mesh shirt that dangled all around with tassels catching occasional light and reflecting it brilliantly. She was thin and tall, for a human, she still didn't quite come to his chin, and she accented her trim body with a dark pair of hip hugging jeans. There was a wide black leather belt hung askew across her hips the buckle down at the low side allowing the extra length to dangle down her thigh.

Tanner's eyes were drawn to her stomach, it was flat and there was just a hint of muscle under her smooth tanned skin. And an ornament adorned her belly button like the large jewel had come to rest there. It was then that he noticed that his hands were still settled on her hips.

"I…I'm sorry," He repeated dumbly, snatching his hands from their resting spot and shoving them deep into his pockets.

The woman's smile broadened at his reaction and then she simply shrugged and said, "No harm done."

Her voice was a tone that he had not heard before. Angela's voice was always deep, still feminine, and Elisa's voice was only slightly higher than that. Most other human women he had taken the time to listen to seemed very high to him. This woman's voice fell somewhere between those two.

Tanner tensed a moment as he noted the woman's eyes wandering over his appearance. If she noted anything askew about his outfit or that she saw something she shouldn't have she gave no indication.

"Funny," She said humorously, "You don't seem like the type to be at this kind of concert."

"Really?" Tanner said genuinely intrigued by the comment, "And what type would you expect to attend one of these?"

She laughed shortly, "For one thing…Guys usually take a lot more advantage of rescuing a woman from trampling."

"Oh?" Tanner said naively.

"Sure, swoop in save the day and then get a little grope in for their effort. No need to thank them, 'cause they just take their own payment," She added, laying one hand on her hip as she emphasized the point with the other. Tanner's face screwed into one of disgust at the mental image that painted for him, "Especially in a crowd like this. Nothing like a pack mentality to turn everyday boys into sexual monsters."

"You sound a bit bitter," Tanner noted out loud.

She smiled in embarrassment, "Yeah I guess I am, huh? Sorry…here I haven't even thanked you for picking me up after knocking me down."

Tanner looked down a moment concealing his own embarrassment, "I was watching some of the dancing."

"Oh," She said immediately, "I was kidding. My name's Michelle." She said extending a hand to him.

Tanner nearly balked at the prospect of shaking her hand, for his were not exactly human, "Um, Tanner," He said, hastily shaking her hand and then just as quickly shoving the extremity back in his pocket before she could get a good look at them.

"Tanner, that's a different name…I like it," if she had noted anything about him again she made no mention, she turned away a moment looking into the swirling bodies and then back into his face, "I mean in this crowd you can't help running into people. And I have to confess I wasn't paying a whole lot of attention to where I was going either. Besides, I have run into much less interesting people."

Tanner looked up again seeing that warm smile on her face again, and felt his own smile again, "So who are you here to see?" Tanner asked.

He stepped up next to her and she turned to face the direction she now wanted to go glancing up at him and saying, "Polygon."

Tanner looked down at her in confusion, "I have never heard of them."

"No probably not," She said, "They're pretty new, and don't even have a song on the radio yet. Shoot their blessed really to be playing this concert, it's a good sign."

Tanner again was confused by this, "You…know them?"

"Oh!" She said looking up at him with wide eyes, "Didn't I mention that?" Tanner shook his head, "No, oh, sorry. My cousin, Tyler, is the lead singer."

"Really?" Tanner said, "How cool is that?"

"Not as cool as you think really, at least not yet," She added with a wink, "How about you, who is your favorite band?"

"Linkin Park, actually," Tanner said, "Their seventh album is due out any day now, and I heard that they are going to be premiering some of their new material tonight."

"They're awesome, aren't they?" She said shaking her head in admiration, "Not a single album of theirs has been bad…That's saying something. It's too bad they play last, the sun will probably be up by the time they get on stage. As it is I am going to be hard put to be awake that long."

"Oh," Tanner said in alarm, "Don't say that!"

Michelle looked at him strangely, "Why not?"

"Oh, Um," Tanner fumbled for an excuse that would sound reasonable, "I have to be to work by six, I mean I can only stay here at the concert until about four thirty of five at the latest…so I can get…ready."

"Don't you think you could call in sick or something? I mean how often does a chance to see Linkin Park for free, come up?"

"I wish I could," Tanner added enigmatically.

Michelle went silent for long moments, and Tanner wondered if she would take her leave of him. Suddenly she shook her head, "That's too bad…I tell you what," she said, "If it comes down to it," She reached into a large purse she was carrying, "I brought my digital recorder, I will tape their portion of the concert and then give it to you later."

"Michelle," Tanner said excitedly, "That would be great…you…you'd do that for me?"

"Sure why not?" Michelle said.

"I mean we only just met," Tanner said, "You're not concerned that I may be the worst person to walk this Earth?"

She laughed again and Tanner couldn't help but join her, "Why is it that the good guys always worry about being perceived as bad ones?" She laid a hand on his arm, "I have a good feeling about you."

Tanner felt his face heat up at that, "I would really appreciate that."

Michelle shrugged, "Hey lets hope we get lucky and they play before you have to leave," Then she laughed again.

"What?" Tanner said still smiling, "I just wonder what good you're going to be at work after being her all night long."

"Probably not much," Tanner added with a short laugh of his own, "I will be asleep on my feet."

"You sure will."

Tanner looked away a moment and tried to suppress the sudden levity he felt at how true that statement was. But it would have to remain an inside joke.

Michelle and Tanner spent the rest of the time at he concert in each other's company. She was even able to get them backstage where Tanner had the privilege of meeting Michelle's cousin, and his band. They stayed and chatted for a while getting to watch from back stage as Polygon played. Tanner's heart swelled with happiness for Michelle as the crowd showed overwhelming support of the fledgling band.

To make Tanner's night even better was the honor of running into Linkin Park. Tanner almost thought that he was dreaming as he stood talking to the men who made up the group. None of them had seemed to notice that he did not walk the same, that his feet were bare, three toed and clawed, or that his hands were deformed and long sharp claws tipped each finger. Everyone he met was very down to earth and more than happy to share little insider information with the two of them.

Tanner was euphoric as he stepped back out into the warm early morning air Michelle still beside him. That feeling was doused quickly as he looked up toward the heavily stained orange sky.

His eyes darted to Michelle, "What time is it?"

Flustered Michelle looked at her watch, "It's…Five fifteen."

"Crap!" Tanner uttered, as much because he didn't want this night to end as anything, "I'm going to be late!"

"Do you really have to go?" Michelle asked, still holding his muscular arm, "Your going to miss them play."

He made himself smile, "I know but I really have things that need to be done. Thank you for the evening it has been wonderful," He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek, a bold move on his part. Then he turned and started quickly through the crowd.

"I'll record it for you!" She yelled over the din. 

Tanner turned toward her again, "I would appreciate it," He added as he started to turn away again.

"Wait!" She yelled and he turned again to see her pushing through the crowd to get to him. She halted before him, "Where can I get this to you?"

"Um," He thought quickly, "I should be off at about seven tonight. I can meet you about eight-thirty in the Park. We can watch it together!" He said brightly.

"That sounds good!" She laughed, "Well I guess you should get going before your boss has your ass!"

Tanner laughed again, "Goodbye, Michelle, it was good to meet you. See you tonight!"

Tanner made quick time to his previously chosen sleeping spot, climbing to the roof of the ornate building at a blinding speed. He rushed to get into position between two other stone Gargoyles already dressing the heights before the sun forced him into sleep. Despite his rush there was a lingering feeling of euphoria. He had done it! He had done something that he had never been able to accomplish before, and his success was a heady thing.

Several hours after Tanner went to sleep a lone figure walked by the statue dotted building. The woman paused, looking up and noting the figure that did not belong amongst the others. She nodded to herself and a cruel smile twisted her lips up. She would observe for a while longer, and see just what exactly the boy's game was. She turned and strode away from the building, knowing she had time before the sun went down, she would be back.


	6. I Spy

OK you though it was good before…it is about to get a whole lot better! Please continue to read and review, I thrive on the input! Thanks for reading

Darwin

Chapter Six: I Spy…

She came back about half an hour before sunset, and half an hour before the Gargoyle whelp was due to wake. She pulled up short, a bit unnerved by what her eyes encountered. She shaded her eyes in the late afternoon sun as she looked just under the rising eaves. She shook her head a moment thinking that she was not seeing clearly. The stone gargoyles that were always there to decorate the roof stood silent, but there was no longer an extra statue that had been between the statues on the left of the building.

In frustration the woman strode closer to the building, slowing again as she came to scattered flakes of stone near the base of the building, she looked straight up the face of the building thinking that perhaps she had been wrong. No she was not mistaken. He was gone. Her eyes turned back to the flakes at her feet.

Sighing she leaned down to investigate the evidence at her feet. Picking one up, she examined it carefully, noting that it was thin and crumbled easily under her fingers. "Shedding," she thought, "But how?"

The whelp had not been here before, this was the first night that he had been free of the confines of the castle. And yet, no Gargoyle could wake before sunset, it was a physiological impossibility! She threw down the flake of stone skin and dusted her hands as she rose on sinewy legs to her full height.

The urge in her to scream her frustration was overwhelming. She had lost her quarry, and now she was going to have to track his movements again, that could take days! Perhaps even some of her nights.

Tanner moved hurriedly toward the spot where he was supposed to meet Michelle, somehow sure that she was not going to be there. He had convinced himself that she had changed her mind or was just being polite last night, with no intention of keeping her promise.

"Cynical aren't you?" Tanner thought to himself as he turned the corner toward the statue where they had agreed to meet. His heart leapt as he got a good look of the young blond woman, standing there and looking nervous. She was not dressed in clothes nearly so fancy as the night before. She was wearing only a logo covered T-shirt and a pair of faded blue jeans with sandals on her feet. And yet she looked more beautiful to Tanner's eyes than he had ever thought possible.

Michelle smiled immediately upon seeing him approaching, "There you are!" She said in mock indignation as he stepped up beside her, "I thought you'd forgotten or been too tired or something."

"There is no way I would forget about this," Tanner said, slightly winded, "As far as sleep, I can always catch a nap later," He added remembering his cover story from the night before.

She nodded slowly, "Well you definitely have more stamina than I do. I mean look, I didn't even give you time to change!" She looked stricken.

"Oh, it's OK," Tanner said aloud, inwardly he grimaced remembering that humans prided themselves on owning many different outfits. He only owned this one trench coat.

Michelle moved her long blond hair out of her face again saying, "Now me, I just got out of bed an hour ago, and I am already wanting to crawl back in."

"Did you…did you want to do this another time? Later tonight maybe?" Tanner added feeling guilty that he had gotten her up so early when she was clearly tired.

"Oh, no," Michelle, "No, really I didn't mean to suggest that it was your fault."

"Oh," Tanner said.

She smiled warmly at him and all his fears that he had offended her somehow faded from his heart. She turned away, paused a moment to make sure he was coming and then moved off down the walkway. She led them to a small street side café, just at the edge of the park and sat down at one of the tables. Tanner followed suit, careful not to sit on his tail or wings, still hidden in his overcoat, and trying not to look awkward as he accomplished it.

Not that his extra effort availed him anything, as he looked back toward Michelle, she was leaned to one side and busily rummaging through her oversized purse for something, "Aha!" She cried triumphantly as she withdrew the object of her search. She held up a small electronic device, wagging it back and forth in front of him. It was her digital video recorder and she raised her eyebrows expectantly.

"You got it!" Tanner exclaimed, "Have I told you lately you're the best?"

She smiled demurely. Before either of them could say or do anything more the waiter came to their table to take an order. Michelle ordered a large cup of hot tea and a croissant, and Tanner ordered a mocha (a favorite drink introduced to him by Matt several years back) and a sandwich. When the waiter had taken their order back to the kitchen Michelle set to cueing the disk to the section they both wanted to view.

Tanner took the opportunity to scoot his chair closer to Michelle, so that they both could easily view the small screen that she had opened. 

The waiter came back a few moments later with their drinks and food, which they only paid minor attention to.

When Michelle was happy with the adjustments she turned to Tanner, "Ready?" She asked and Tanner nodded eagerly.

They both sat watching with rapt attention as their favorite band performed, in miniature, before them. They were nodding, keeping beat with their feet and tapping in time with the music on the table top before them. After the half an hour worth of mini-concert both of them looked at each other beaming. Michelle, because she had made Tanner's day, and Tanner was just ecstatic to have seen his favorite band do a "Live" concert.

"Man, that was awesome!" Tanner said, then shook his head regretfully, "I so wish I could have been there."

"Yeah, me too," Michelle said nodding.

Tanner's head whipped to the side looking into her face. He was sure that the comment was not supposed to be out loud and he had not thought that he had heard right, "What?"

She smiled this time in embarrassment, shrugging she said, "I just wished you could have been there to share the live experience…with me."

"Really?"

"Really," She added. Then she crossed her hands on the tabletop, "I can't say that I have ever met anyone quite like you."

Tanner wanted to say, "That's for sure," but he caught it and said instead, "Thank you."

That beautiful smile graced her face again and a tingling started down in Tanner's toes and ran up his body causing him to shiver.

They sat and talked for hours at the café, as Michelle told him of her life. She had grown up in California, daughter to a dual military family. Both of them had taken turns going away on detachment or deployment until she was eight, and she was sure that she had spent at least four years out of those eight without one or the other of her parents around. In that environment she had learned early on how to be independent and take care of herself. Her dad retired around that time and was able to get a job as a financial specialist helping military families' plan for the future. It was closer to home and a heck of a lot more money to be made.

Her mom had stayed in another seven years, finally retiring herself. That is when they all moved up to Washington State and lived on a piece of property her father had bought after several successful years at his new job. She lived in the Oak Harbor area in Northern Washington up until about six months ago when she had come to join her cousin here in New York. Tyler had moved here five years prior from a small town in Iowa with the intent of starting a band and making it big. She had moved in with him long enough to get herself established as a dancer in one of the premier studios in New York.

"You're a dancer?" Tanner asked in awe.

"Yeah…" She said, "I trained to be a ballet dancer and I added jazz…one of the extra's that mom and dad insisted I do."

"That is cool!" Tanner added.

"So what about you?" Michelle asked him when she had finished reviewing her life.

"Um," Tanner thought quickly on how to rune the truth without giving away who or what he was, "I've lived here my entire life," He started, "I grew up in a pretty strict extended family. Mom and dad aren't together anymore; Due to circumstance neither of them could control, but they still love each other. That has to sound weird."

"Divorce is weird," Michelle said jumping to a conclusion that allowed Tanner drop the subject.

"Yeah," Tanner said softly, "I wish they were still together, I wish it were possible."

Michelle nodded seeming to understand, "I guess I was lucky," She said, "My Mom and Dad are still married, in fact, they are going to celebrate their twentieth anniversary this coming March. They had their problems, sure, argued like cats and dogs sometimes but they always seemed to bring it back together again."

"Wow, that must be great."

She looked down at the two, hiding in the heavy shadows cast over the building's balcony across the street from where the two sat, "I guess the apple does not fall far from the tree," she sneered quietly, "Just like his father…too much love for the humans."

It had not been nearly has hard as she had thought to track the adolescent down. It was a gift of hers after all, tracking targets and pulling them down. He had not strayed far from where he had slept last night after all and it was only a matter of following the several flakes of stone skin that always seemed to cling after awakening. He was not hard to pick out of a crowd, she could spot a gargoyle a mile off even in such clever disguises as this whelps was. Then she had chosen a perch and sat down to watch.

"Look at him," she growled to no one, "Fawning over that thin frail wisp of a human."

She shook out her red hair reflexively, watching the sun as it steadily ran for the cover of the horizon. She waited her nerves tingling in anticipation of the pain. "Why did Puck have to make transformation painful?" She thought angrily and not for the first time. The other advantages to living a dual life had made themselves abundantly clear to her, as was proved by her now vast wealth, but the drawbacks…they were something she would gladly give away, just to be spared the pain.

The sun flared once before snuffing out on the earth. She felt the pulling sensation start in her shoulder blades and pressure increasing at the small of her back. Her feet began to tingle, then burn, and then ache. She was glad that she had taken the precaution of changing out of her human attire and into something more suitable.

It was all Demona could do not to cry out into the coming darkness, wailing to release the pain she suffered through every night as her body returned to Gargoyle normal. But after so long she had learned to control her reactions to that pain. It just would not do for her to give away the surprise in store for Goliath's precious son.

There was something that had always nagged at her regarding this Gargoyle child, ever since she had discovered his presence in Goliath's ever expanding clan. Who was his mother? 

Demona had never seen another Gargress in his clan much less mated to her former betrothed. She had yet to see him fill that void. Demona scoffed, all because of his love for that human, Maza…suddenly he was too good for a gargoyle mate. Yet he had a son, a fine healthy young gargoyle to carry on the traditions. The boy was fifteen years old himself and falling stupidly for a human's wiles. Goliath must be so proud. She had yet to determine whom this mystery mate was, and had been further frustrated by the inability to get near the castle. Xanatos had come up with a security system she had yet to find a chink in.

Demona was barren, and had been for over a thousand years. There was of course Angela, but due to current circumstances her daughter was well beyond her ability to reach. Even her courtship to Thailog had failed to provide with progeny. Demona had no children, and whether that was a stipulation of her immortality or a side effect of her double life she was still not certain. Either way, Goliath's overwhelming success and her polar lack there of made her bitter. The feeling settled like an iceberg into her gut.

Rage and jealousy welled up within her as she watched the human and the gargoyle below her. She watched seething as the two stood and began to walk off back toward the park. Why should Goliath be blessed with so much happiness? Her eyes glowed as the spiteful streak in her flared wickedly. Hurting the boy would certainly hurt Goliath…the thought made her smile. She was always up to finding a way to hurt Goliath

Her emotions overflowed and with a feral growl she launched herself into the night sky, intent on visiting the young Gargoyle with pain.


	7. Dogfight

Here we go, the next chapter in Tanner's tale. What's Demona got planned? 

Read and review please?

Darwin

Chapter Seven: Dogfight

Tanner and Michelle walked silently side by side through the meticulously groomed trees of the park, listening to the sounds of the night.

Tanner was overcome by the emotions that welled in him. It was a happiness that he had never felt before…and it was something else as well. He was unable to describe that other feeling and he wondered if it was something that Goliath and Elisa had felt for each other, all these many years. He wondered if such a feeling was the glue to their relationship; what kept them together even when they could never be the kind of couple they wanted to be. He fervently hoped it was, because it was the best feeling that he had experienced in his life.

Then a pang ran through him, "What will happen," Tanner thought a moment, "When she finds out?"

He looked down at the pavement under his feet, as that thought bounced around his skull. She would find out, he didn't delude himself by thinking that he could keep up the ruse. His gut twisted tightly at the idea that he might make an enemy out of her when she found out the truth about him.

"Tanner?" Michelle said softly beside him, evidentially seeing the look of turmoil on his face, "You OK?"

Tanner looked quickly her direction, smiling for her sake, "Nothing," He said, "Just thinking."

"Must have been a really dreary thought," She said frowning.

He was about to answer her, just stepping under the cover of the dense trees of the park, when he heard the swoosh of over large and leathery wings, pass them above the trees. His eyes turned up to the night sky at the sound, as a feeling like lead dropped into his stomach. His body was as taut as a coiled spring, realizing that someone had found him. His breath quickened at the thought. Damn, now he was in for it, why couldn't they trust that he could take care of himself? With his luck the gargoyle above him was Brooklyn and that meant that Tanner would never be allowed out of the castle again without an escort. A scene of him being banned from seeing Michelle again flashed through his brain, walls of his niche in the castle closing in until he couldn't breathe. 

A wave of panic started to build up within him. What was he going to do? He had finally found a friend and now that was jeopardized by one of the clan discovering him. Now they would know that he had lied to them, and would think it was because of this woman.

"What was that?" Michelle's voice brought him out of the spiraling thoughts of a cage closing around him and he looked over to see her clinging suddenly to his heavy jacket.

Tanner turned his attention to her face, "Sounded like a bat to me," Tanner lied thinking, "Yeah, if that bat is six foot with a twelve foot wingspan."

"That is one mighty big bat," Michelle said echoing his thoughts, "Could it be one of those Gargoyles I've heard rumor of?"

"Gargoyles?" Tanner said, effectively sounding derisive, "You don't believe that do you? Nah…they don't exist. It was just a bat like I said…probably flew right between us."

"Uh-huh," She said looking at him oddly.

Tanner pretended to consult his watch and then gave a large and quite fake yawn, saying, "Y'know, I think that sleep depravation is finally catching up with me. What say I walk you home?"

Michelle smiled, but shook her head and said, "No, I'll be fine. I like the night…I like bats too…even the big ones," She looked over her shoulder at him with an odd look. Tanner thought there was a double meaning to her statement, but before he could inquire she had begun walking away, "Get some sleep, just be sure that your rested up when you meet me tomorrow."

"Huh?" Tanner said surprised by her forwardness, so surprised that he wasn't sure just what he had heard.

"Meet me here tomorrow," She repeated, "Or don't you believe in second dates?"

Even though she had asked the question of him she turned away again not waiting for an answer.

Tanner smiled, watching until she faded behind some of the bushes and trees that lined the meandering walk. When she was safely out of site of him, the smile melted from his features. Tanner stepped quickly into some concealment and dressed out of his clothes. He took spare moments to stretch his cramped wings and tail and immediately scaled the tree that hid him from casual onlookers.

Reaching the top boughs he launched himself into the night and had only started to gain altitude, when he was tackled midair by something or someone. The assault drove them both into the tangling canopy. With fight honed reflexes Tanner reacted, clenching both fists and swinging hard for the body that was firmly latched to his middle. He connected hearing a feminine grunt even as the slight body bowed under his assault.

Tanner raised up again intent on dislodging the thing from his middle, but never landed the second blow. In a move that was quicker than he had expected he was released, his attacker planting feet on his hip, and crouching, launched upward into the hole their falling bodies had created through the treetops. In a blur his assailant was gone from sight.

Tanner reached out with strong arms attempting to slow, and eventually stop, his fall through the tangle of trees surrounding him. He had no advantage to open his wings to catch the rushing air, there was no room for it. For long queasy moments he found no purchase on the trees around him, then one hand caught and held a large rough bough, halting his fall abruptly and abrading his hand.

He grit his teeth against the burning and prickly sensation and was reminded of the bruise in his middle where his assailant had tackled him. He looked down finding himself only about three feet above the ground dangling there like an odd Christmas ornament from the oak tree. He pulled up a little and then released his hold on the branch landing lightly on the ground and crouching low. He looked about him both for late night visitors to the park and for any sign of the gargoyle that had tackled him. His legs were taut, ready to leap should a new round of the fight begin here on the ground.

Tanner turned his eyes up looking through the very obvious hole in the canopy and seeing the stars beyond. He saw no sign of that other gargoyle and decided it not best for him to wait around to get assaulted again. He leapt to his feet, moving as fast as his considerable legs would go. Tanner mantled his wings close to his body so as not to get tangled in the low branches or the trees that whizzed by him on both sides.

Meanwhile his brain was on overdrive…who was it? That it was a gargoyle, and a female one at that, he was certain, but who it might have been eluded him. He thought perhaps Angela had found him and decided to play a game of cat and mouse. But he had never known her to be that type, she had always considered their all too frequent fights with their enemies' practice enough to keep their skills honed. There was Broadway's mate, Fiona, who was of the kind of personality it took to play jokes of that nature, but she was off visiting in Avalon and was not due back for two more weeks.

Maggie of Darren's clan perhaps? That didn't make sense, they were close allies with Goliath's clan and would not stoop to attack them. He shook his head unable to come up with a plausible suspect in this unprovoked attack on his person.

As this train of thought ran its course through him, he neared the edge of the concealing forest. He slowed as he reached the break turning his eyes skyward and straining to see the dark blotch that would reveal his assailant's position. Yet he saw nothing, were it not for the physical pain that told him otherwise, he began to think that the gargoyle was his imagination.

Tanner stuck to the edges of the trees, making himself a harder target up under the boughs should his nemesis be somewhere up there waiting for him. It was not long before he ran out of concealment and he sat for long hours trying to find again his adversary. By the end of the wait he was edgy and forced himself to cross open territory. He did so quickly waiting and cringing for an attack that never came. Perhaps he had taught this mystery gargoyle that he was not so easily brought down and would remain unharmed for the remainder of the evening. 

Tanner dashed into the alley between two towering buildings and immediately began to climb. He needed to get back to the castle, and he needed to tell someone about this mystery assailant. Again he thought furiously about what he was going to tell the clan about the events of the evening. 

He had just reached the roof when a blur of a body landed in front of him, and he was forced to screech to a halt as the other straightened to her full height.

"Demona!" Tanner breathed as he got a good look at the red headed Gargress standing before him.

She smiled in a crooked wicked way that sent a shiver down his back. He had never actually met her before but stories of her were nefarious. Twisted in thought, as she was cruel, Demona held a particularly hateful place among his clan. She had proved too many times that she had no ones interests at heart but her own. That was uncharacteristic of any gargoyle, whose pride should always be for the clan.

She folded her wings slanting one hip to the right and looking upon him with utter confidence and arrogance. Tanner shivered again, feeling that familiar sensation of loathing that he had always felt around Titania, only about ten times more concentrated.

"Well you seem to know who I am," She said humorously, "But I have yet to have the pleasure of your name?"

"You don't have that privilege, Demona," Tanner quipped, "You've betrayed us too many times for me to trust you even with so little."

She scowled at him darkly, "Insolent whelp!" she growled, her previous congeniality evaporated, "I know that you're a son of a fool. And your mother…Who is your mother?" She pressed seeming to realize that she did not know.

"Again that is none of your business," Tanner added crouching down, "The less you know the better I feel."

She turned away from him a second looking with malice the direction Michelle had taken through the forest, "Would you be so brave, little Gargoyle, if the human were here in my clutches? She's quite beautiful you know, I can see that the same weakness that runs in your father is strong in you as well."

She didn't say any more and started running for the edge of the building her wings now fanned wide to catch the updraft.

"NO!" Tanner bellowed, leaping toward Demona's retreating form, "You leave her out of this!"

Demona leapt only a hairbreadth ahead of him from the building. Tanner closed their distance quickly, intent on latching himself to her back and forcing her to ground. Just as he reached out for her she flipped midair and extended her claws toward him. There was nothing he could do to stop their impact and he winced as her claws cut him deeply.

He raised up his own feet setting them firmly against Demona's thigh, angling up and pushing out with his legs, he raked them both through her muscles. Her howl of pain echoed off of the surrounding buildings and seemed to fill the night. They tangled for long moments like two eagles are dog fighting. They were each buffeted and bashed by the other's wings; claws deflected and caught on each other's skin, all as they steadily lost altitude. They flipped and circled each taking turn in a position toward the sky.

Neither of them noticed their descent and Demona ended up toward the sky when they finally crashed into the earth. Tanner cried out as he heard one of the finger bones in his wing break, its pain temporarily paralyzing him under this psychotic Gargress. She produced a knife from somewhere on her person, smiling wickedly at him. 

Her arm swung down at him and defensively he raised him own arm to block her. He followed through hitting her hard in the side of the head. It was enough to knock her off of him and he leapt up before she could regain her wits. 

Tanner raised his injured wing and winced out from under the pain that shocked down his frame. Gliding was out of the question now, and tucking it as comfortably as he could to his side he ran. Tanner heard Demona's angry howl falling behind him and then the thumping of feet as she sprinted to catch him.

The footfalls stopped mere moments later and were replaced by the rustling of leaves. The soft whistle of her wings was the only warning Tanner had that she was upon him and he ducked and rolled to stay out of her clutches. He grimaced at the pain that shot through his body originating from his wing, and was slow to get back to his feet.

He opened his eyes to find Demona standing before him and glanced up to see her triumphant face, "You're weak, boy. I would have thought you much better for this, you have so much potential that you haven't even tapped."

"I…Suppose you think you're the one to tap that potential," Tanner grunted derisively.

She was kneeling before him now, "Yes," She hissed at him, "There is so much I could teach you boy."

"I don't think so, you crazy bitch," Tanner growled, hooking one foot into the ground to facilitate the hip spin he needed. He followed through with his tail catching Demona unaware and taking her out at the ankles. She went down heavily and Tanner forcibly pushed to his feet before she regained hers. 

They circled one another both growling, eyes glowing and tails lashing. And like two cats in a fight they sprang at each other at the same time. They locked their fingers together wrestling back and forth in a contest of strength and will. They remained locked thus for an hour…and longer as the sun came up around them.

Tanner turned to stone before Demona, but she didn't notice, as the pain of her own transformation shut out the world for long moments. When she became aware again and looked around her she found herself still locked with the boy. She tried vainly to free her fingers now cramped and pinched where her fifth finger had come in as she took on her human form.

"No," She growled struggling to free her fingers some more only to stop when one popped painfully. She was stuck, the boys grip was too tight and strong. She was unable to gain enough leverage to break the stone fingers holding her prisoner either. She was stuck here until sundown.


	8. Truths Revealed

OK I know it has been another dry spell, and I appreciate your patience! Here we go….let me know what you think!

Darwin

Chapter Eight: Truths Revealed

Tanner awoke with the grim knowledge that he was locked in a death-grip with Demona. His only advantage would be that she was still stone beneath his fingers. With that thought in his mind and his blood speeding up in his veins he was careful not to stretch too far with his hands. He instead flexed his fists together. He was altogether surprised then when he felt something snap and heard a loud feminine scream just before him.

Without thinking he released his grip as the last of his stone skin fell away. He looked about him quickly, trying to find the source of the sound he had heard while waking. Before him stood a woman, a human woman. She had bright red hair and a thin pointed face, which was masked with pain. She was stooped over clutching her hands together and making funny noises somewhere between a moan and a growl. Demona's sleeping statue was no where to be seen.

The woman looked up at him with loathing in her eyes, yet there was surprise there as well, "That's why you weren't at the building when I came for you at sunset!" She spit, straightening and still favoring one hand. Glancing at it Tanner could see that it had been broken, the index finger was nearly straight up and pulled back over the main part of her hand, "Why are you able to awaken before dusk?" 

The woman was wearing a rough set of leathers to cover her more private areas. Humans did not wear anything of that nature on a normal basis, now Halloween was another matter. Yet it was no where near that holiday. An inkling of suspicion rose up inside him

He looked into her face a moment realizing that it was familiar, "Demona?" He whispered, "But…" He straightened, "What are you?"

She smiled at the surprise in his expression, "I should ask the same boy, after all you are the first Gargoyle that I have seen able to wake this early in the day." 

"It's genetic," Tanner said simply.

She sneered, "Somehow I doubt that. It has to be magic."

Tanner looked away a moment, "That is part of the truth, yet not the whole of it."

Demona looked at him oddly, straightening and the pain in her face ebbed away. Tanner chanced a glance again and was shocked to see that her hand was now intact. She was flexing her fingers as if she wanted to strangle him.

She grinned maliciously at the surprise in face, "And yet I find it amusing that your father never told you about my situation."

"He told me that you were immortal, that only Macbeth could kill you, and then only at the cost of his own life."

"Again in part the truth, but not the whole of it," She answered evasively.

"You were also supposed to be in Paris," Tanner added, "So it begs the question, what're you doing here?"

She smiled demurely, "I have…interests in this part of the world… and I like to check in person on how things are going with my assets."

"Wonderful," Tanner growled, "And what do you want with me?"

"Oh nothing in particular, any of Goliath's clan is target for my wrath…you even more than most, I must admit. You represent the fact that Goliath is happy…and his happiness angers me."

Tanner straightened even further, realizing that she had lost her mind sometime in the thousand plus years that she had been living. Her thought process was twisted by her hatred. He winced at the pulling sensation in his wing. He pulled his large wings around himself, trying to look confident in his now superior position. She was after all only human now, and surely her strength was less for it. What he tried to hide from her was the tracing of his hand down the finger of his own wing that had been broken the night prior. Where the break had been was now a large lump. The bone seemed to be whole, but by the pain he knew that it was going to be another day at least before he was fully recovered. It was another drawback of having human blood mixed with the gargoyle, a night's sleep no longer healed all wounds, only a great majority of it. That meant that he was out of the gliding game for another night. That was going to be bad news as soon as she recovered her gargoyle form.

"It's evident to me that you have worked some other form of magic on yourself in order to turn human during the day rather than to stone," Tanner deduced, smiling as a thought occurred to him. He nodded toward her, "It must have been a long day for you, shaking hands with me all this time as the sun crawled through the sky."

She snarled at him but moved no closer, in fact she was stealthily stepping away from him. She was confirming for him that she was less as a human than a gargoyle. Tanner glanced to the sky, he had to subdue her now. If sunset came and she was still free he would be the one at the disadvantage for she would be able to fly and he would not.

Demona seemed to read that thought, bolting away from him, and Tanner leapt forward in hot pursuit. He had just about latched a hand onto her shoulder when she slipped under a stand of brush, and Tanner fell heavily trying to slide to a stop and follow. He pushed into the brush, slowed greatly by his greater bulk and his wings, which caught, painfully in some cases, on the jutting branches. He could hear her ahead of him crashing through the bush and then the patter of feet as she cleared the copse and ran down one of the many paths in the park. Another moment later Tanner broke through the tangle and skidded to a stop looking around desperately for Demona. He knew that she had gone to the left her padding feet fading into the distance. 

Tanner turned that direction, moving forward slowly, unable to help the feeling that she would only go so far and then duck under cover and wait to ambush him, and would probably wait until the sun went down. He went to the point where he had thought he had lost the sound of her steps. He strained his ears listening for any possible sound, any hint that Demona was somewhere near here. But there was nothing. 

"Damn it!" Tanner growled, spinning circles as he surveyed the trees around him. He spent long minutes looking along the edges of the track for a footprint, a claw mark or anything else to give him a clue as to which direction she might have gone. Again nothing was helping him, and reluctantly he admitted to himself that this fight was over for now.

Tanner looked about him trying to determine just where her was. Everything was much different from the ground and it took him nearly half an hour to figure out that he was totally the wrong side of the park to get back to the Eerie building. This was a long back that was for sure.

"Geez this is slow going from the ground," Tanner muttered under his breath. He glanced again at the sky realizing he was running out of time. The sun was sinking now toward the horizon at what seemed to be an accelerated rate. Tanner wondered why that was, it wasn't like the earth sped up toward the end of the day. He was back in familiar territory, near here was the café where Michelle and he had sat down to dinner just the other night. And to the east was the place in the park where the concert was. Those happy moments seemed so far away for him now, it looked as if there was going to be no end to the amount of pain he would have to endure because of Demona's hate.

Tanner grimaced quickening his pace. Soon it would be dusk and then Demona, wherever she was would catch up to him and use her ability to glide to advantage. She seemed intent on doing him bodily harm. He wondered vaguely why…and all that he could think of was that she was just the type. He lifted his wing into another position, as holding it wrapped around his body became uncomfortable. It allowed his leathers to drag and strained his already aching, supporting finger.

A noise reached Tanner from behind him on the path and he quickly took to the bushes. He did not need another problem on top of his already heavy load. He froze in the thick bushes to the left of the trail breathing shallow and his eyes wide. It could be Demona, perhaps she had been trailing him this whole time, probably wondering why he did not take to the trees when he should have. "Great," He thought, "Now she knows that there is something inferior about your ability to heal."

He watched silently as a pair of black pant legs passed casually by his position. When it wasn't Demona's bare legs, Tanner looked up and his breath caught in his throat. It was Michelle, coming back for their "date" no doubt. 

"No," Tanner said softly gritting his teeth, suddenly wishing that she had picked today to back out of their meeting.

Demona knew what she looked like! Cursing under his breath he paralleled her path, trying to wend his way through the bushes without making too much noise. He didn't want to draw her attention to him. Yet he needed to stay close to Michelle in case Demona decided to take her revenge on Michelle instead of him. At least he had defenses against the Gargress.

He was so intent on Michelle that he hadn't noticed the sun had gone down around him. The rustle in the trees above him warned him only a fraction of a second before Demona landed on top of him. He had just enough time to roll over to catch her and block the brunt of the attack. He grunted in pain as her weight came to full bear on him and they rolled out of the concealment, across the path, and into the bushes on the other side of it.. 

Tanner tried to block her and was successful at first, but she was slightly faster acting than he was at reacting. He blocked one blow aimed for his head but was unable to counter the other hand and growled loudly as her nails cut his flesh across his chest. He gathered his arms up under her and forcibly threw her away from him. 

He leapt to his feet even as she rolled over her shoulder, and somersaulted away from him. She landed lightly and immediately assumed a position of attack.

"Why aren't you in the air little gargoyle," She taunted him. Her tail was lashing wildly behind her and her hands were out with claws toward him. Her eyes glowed wickedly in the dark, "Could it have anything to do with that lump on your wing?"

Tanner growled angry with himself, evidentially he was not as subtle as he thought himself to be when checking over his injury. He tucked his wings in behind him tightly snapped together, with thumbs interlocked to keep them there and well away from Demona. She was sure to try and take advantage of the injury.

"Why don't you heal, little gargoyle?" She sneered, "Must be the same reason you can't get a proper night's sleep. Your father was always the strong one…as much as I hate to admit it his bloodline was never weak. It must be your mother…she must be weak stock!"

"You leave E…my mother out of this!" Tanner growled catching his slip only just in time.

Demona stopped a moment straightening slightly and eyebrows raised, "In my day, you wouldn't have survived this long! Gargoyles who didn't get enough sun always died out in the end. Darwin's theory right? Only the strong survive," She said. 

Demona didn't wait for a response, rushing toward him intent on tearing him apart. Tanner followed suit, building up a sizable head of steam before colliding with her. There was a loud thud as their bodies made contact and yowling and growling could be heard for miles, that he was sure, as they continued to fight. Why they hadn't gotten Michelle's attention was beyond him, they rolled right across her path. Heck she probably did see them and ran screaming the other direction. Demona, luckily, didn't seem to realize that she was near otherwise this fight would not be occurring. 

Tanner howled as Demona used his distraction to get another shot in. His upper arm bleeding profusely from the four long furrows that she had laid there. They broke apart and stood circling each other. They sounded like two tomcats their yowling echoed off of the trees around them. Tanner needed to end this soon, Demona had done him some serious damage this night, but he couldn't see just how.

Suddenly there was a flash of black and white inserting itself between the two gargoyles. Tanner blinked, as the identity of the person in front of him became evident. But, what was she doing here?

"Leave him alone!" Michelle yelled loudly. In her hand was a very large caliber weapon, which she had trained between Demona's eyes. Michelle backed up until her fingers encountered Tanner's chest and flexed puckering the skin under the tips, as if to ensure that he was solidly behind her.

"Michelle stay out of this," Tanner whispered to her, not having time to wonder why she was doing this or think about the implications of him knowing her name. Michelle only shook her head in the negative never letting her eyes leave Demona's face.

"Oh look," Demona smirked, "Your girlfriend is trying to save you. She must have a death wish." 

The smile had faded from Demona's face and she leapt forward. Without flinching Michelle pulled the trigger and Tanner watched in utter shock as Demona's body lurched backwards and fell heavily to the ground.

"No I think that is you," Michelle said shaking the hair out of her eyes.


	9. Waiting Out the Dawn

OK, busy week, was unable to get to this until today, I hope that you like it. Please let me know what you think…And thanks for Reading!

Darwin

Chapter Nine: Waiting Out the Dawn

Michelle was stuffing the gun back into her large purse and before Tanner had even thought his action through, he had gathered her into his arms and was sprinting through the park. She hastily gathered her purse into her lap to keep it from banging against his battered body. She had thrown one arm over his shoulder to steady her perch, her other hand clutched at the bag. She didn't seem to notice the blood that was now staining her pretty white shirt, her eyes were fixed steadfastly on their path. 

Tanner swerved and dodged around trees and bushes, in what seemed to be a blind flight through the park. He stumbled as he reached an underpass and ungraciously dumped Michelle onto the damp pavement. Himself, he fell flat onto his face, unable to recover in time. He lay there for long moments feeling how weak he was, feeling every wound and bruise that covered his body.

Michelle got slowly to her feet as Tanner pushed up and rolled over, leaning gingerly onto his undamaged arm onto the curved wall of the overpass. He unhooked his aching thumbs and let his wings fall loosely about him. They sagged heavily, no strength left in him to hold them in their normal position. He looked sidelong at her panting hard with the exertion, not sure what to expect at this point. He was unsure whether she had just seen them tangling and decided to help, or whether she actually knew who he was.

"What's the rush?" Michelle said trying to recover her own breath.

"She…" Tanner said in a very winded voice, "She's not dead…she can't die…"

"Everybody dies," Michelle said with a shake of her head.

"She…She's immortal," Tanner gasped, "We had to get away from there, or she would have hurt you too."

Michelle looked disconcerted by that statement, but didn't seem inclined to argue further. She moved a bit closer to him leaning over and propping her self there hand on her knees, "Are you OK?"

He raised one hand to run across the raking marks on his chest. He brought his hand away and it was covered in blood. Tanner licked his lips, unable to raise his head off the wall, but shook it slightly in the negative, "And dawn is a long way off," He rumbled. 

"She got you pretty good, Tanner," Michelle said matter-of-factly as she sank to her knees right next to him. 

The mention of his name sent a shock through him…She knew! He pushed himself slowly upright watching with wide eyes as she rummaged through her overly large purse for something, "What? How long…have you known?"

She shrugged bringing out a large handkerchief, "Since the concert…I mean you knocked me down and I got a ground level view of your feet. The costume was good but it didn't hide everything."

"You've known," He winced as she laid the handkerchief onto one heavily bleeding section of his arm, "All this time?"

She looked into his eyes, smiling sheepishly, "Uh, huh."

"Then why…Why did you insist on…"

"On asking you to meet me every night?" She finished for him. She smiled, "Well, because, you were friendly, you were considerate, and I found you very easy to talk to. So what if you're a Gargoyle…its like being another skin color, what does it matter, if you like that person?"

"You…like me?" Tanner said stupidly.

"Well Duh! I just saved your ass from a mad gargoyle, doesn't that qualify?"

Tanner nodded slowly smiling, "I don't have many human friends, besides my m…my friend Elisa and her partner Matt," He must be getting bad, that was twice this night he had almost revealed his secret to someone outside the clan.

"I'm no doctor," Michelle went on, "But these don't look good."

"So," Tanner said shifting a little to make himself more comfortable, "Why didn't you tell me before now that you knew who…what I was?"

"You had obviously gone to a lot of trouble to keep your identity hidden," Michelle said, "I figured that it would be awkward to reveal that piece of information. I didn't want you feeling uptight around me. Especially after you lied about the Gargoyle that buzzed us yesterday…was it the same one? The one that attacked you tonight?"

"We've been at it since you left me yesterday," Tanner said softly, "She won't let me get away from her."

Just then a yowl broke the silence of the night and both of their attentions were tensely on the forest behind them, "She's coming," Tanner said urgently, forcing himself to his feet again. He wobbled a little and Michelle was quickly at his side trying to help support him. He looked down at her a moment, "You really think that if I go over that you're going to be able to hold me up?"

"Consider it moral support then," She said sternly, "I can move pretty fast if I want to, so getting crushed under you is not a worry. Now you getting a concussion is another matter." 

Tanner had to smile again at her wit, allowing her to remain steadfast under his arm, "We need to find some kind of shelter until the sun comes up."

"Can't you glide? I mean can't you get back to the Eerie building?" 

He looked down at her in surprise, but forced himself not to ask the obvious question. Instead he said, "My wing is damaged, one of the fingers is still fractured and it will not support me in the current. That is why I have been on foot since last night."

"Last night? But you should be healed by now," Michelle stated sternly looking nervous at that bit of news.

Again Tanner had to look on her in surprise, and just a little bit of fear. The only people who knew that much were Xanatos, the clan itself, Elisa and some of their worst enemies. He was unsure just how to look at her now. He again refrained from asking the question, but was more alert to any signs of deceit on her part, "The answer to that is going to have to wait, we need to go before Demona catches up to us!"

"I'm still new to the area but I think that there is a place near here that will keep us out of her radar," She offered, "And it is not far to go."

"Well then, I will follow your lead," Tanner said, "As I have very little idea what this area looks like from the ground."

"Oh great, the blind leading the blind…I love it," Michelle managed to say lightly.

They soon found themselves in a small cramped stonework building, sitting amongst moldering crates. Tanner looked around them, very little light from the lamp outside filtered in through the boarded windows.

He turned to Michelle sitting silently beside him, the question about her extensive knowledge of Gargoyles eating at him.

"How is it you know so much about gargoyles?" Tanner asked pointedly.

Her gaze was suddenly on his face, looking a little bit guilty, "Well, um, there's this web site I visit a lot since coming here." 

She flushed red before his eyes, "Most of the stuff on there is tripe…how gargoyles suck the brains out of the unsuspecting, stupid stuff that some wacko decides will get him some publicity. On occasion they put out some very detailed, and accurate information, corroborated by several other sources even. Someone out there is a very big fan."

"That scares me," Tanner admitted, "I will have to visit that site and see just what it says…Goliath may want to know."

"Goliath?" Michelle said, "No kidding."

Tanner smiled at the enthusiasm in her face, "He's my father."

"Whoa!" Michelle said in surprise, then silenced looking over him with scrutiny, "You do look a lot like the pictures I've seen of him. Except for your skin tone…"

"That I get from my mother," He clarified.

"And these gorgeous horns on your head," She shifted tracing a light finger along one crowning eye ridge.

A shiver ran through him as she did that, and that inexplicable feeling welled up within him again. He reached up trying not to look to desperate to stop her, drawing her hands down and setting them in her lap, "Those…I can't claim lineage for, probably a kickback from another generation."

"You don't know your grandparents?"

"With all that information on the 'web site' you should already know that prior to ten years ago, gargoyles never traced lineage," He said sarcastically.

She laughed loudly and then clamped a hand over her mouth, looking about as if she had given away their position, "Sorry," she whispered.

"It's OK," Tanner said.

"So…Why is it more difficult for you to heal?" Michelle said just as straightforwardly.

His eyes were hard on her, "I'm not like the others in my clan," He said softly, "I don't have as great a strength, I break bones more easily, and yes I take more than one night to heal."

"I heard the other say something about…weak blood?" Michelle said softly.

"My blood is not weak," He growled defensively, "I am…my blood is just different, I inherited some recessive traits, that's all." Tanner lied. He was still not comfortable with telling the whole truth.

Uncomfortably a silence fell over the two of them. Michelle continued to daub at his wounds, not meeting his eyes for a long time, yet not so turned off by his sudden shift in attitude that she wanted to leave him alone. The wounds did not seem interested in clotting over, and Tanner wondered vaguely if Demona had dipped her nails in something to keep his blood from coagulating. That sent a jolt of fright through him, knowing he could never get back to the castle with Demona on the hunt for him, on foot anyway. He could not very well walk into a doctor's office to be treated either. That meant that he was sure to bleed to death before the sun rose and put him into a healing sleep. 

He drew one unsteady hand across the wound again, this time bringing it to his nose and trying to smell something Demona might have used. He was not familiar with most poisons or drugs that could be used to this effect. He smelled nothing amiss, but again, with Demona that meant nothing.

Long hours passed as they sat there and Tanner could feel himself getting weaker by the moment. Around him a sizable pool of blood had formed, and it confirmed in his mind that Demona had disabled his bloods ability to clot and begin the healing process. By this point, however he was too weak to really care about that deduction, or what it meant for him in the long run.

Tanner was possessed suddenly by an overwhelming pain that coursed through his body. He clutched his chest suddenly doubling over. He fell forward knocking Michelle over with one convulsing wing as he sprawled onto the dusty floor.

Michelle quickly regained her feet, not seriously hurt by him, "Tanner?" She said, laying her hands on his shoulders and shaking him roughly in panic, "Tanner!"

He did not respond to either her frantic voice or her violent machinations of his body, "No!" She growled, "You stay with me!"

A shudder ran through Tanner's body a moment later and his arms pulled closer to his large body. He gathered them under him and pushed slightly up able only to turn his head toward her, dragging his forehead across the dusty stone beneath him. His body went lax again, with the exception of his eyes, which were steady on Michelle's face.

"How…Long…'til dawn?" He croaked.

Michelle leaned back on her heels consulting her watch, "Fifteen minutes," she said as she glanced to the color stained shaft of light beginning to come in through the crack in the boards.

"Promise me," Tanner started blinking slowly, "Promise me that you will go home after dawn…that you will leave me here."

She leaned closer to him gently stroking one brow ridge, "I don't want to leave you here," She said shaking her head in the negative, "Not for that Demona woman to have another go at, you won't be up for it even after you wake."

"You have to," Tanner whispered sounding weaker still, "It's you're only chance to get out of here safely…When Demona is only human."

"What do you mean?" Michelle said in confusion.

"She has been affected in more ways than one by magic…During the day… instead of sleeping…Demona becomes human. You must…You must leave before she can resume her Gargoyle form, otherwise she will kill you."

"No, I won't promise that. Friends don't abandon one another," Michelle said fiercely. 

He smiled wanly closing his eyes again, but the pain eased it out again, "Please, I don't want your death on my conscience."

Michelle leaned back on her heels again her mouth a thin line, "OK," she relented, "I promise."

Tanner nodded minutely his eyes sliding closed again, his breath stirring the dust on the floor. A moment later, and not a moment too soon, the sun broke over the horizon and Michelle watched in fascination as the flesh and blood body before her turned to solid stone. The curves of his features became choppy as if he had been chiseled out of a boulder, "Wow," She uttered. 

In the distance, Michelle thought she heard the scream of a woman in torturous pain. Could it be Demona taking her human form? She looked back down at the statue lying prone on the floor and then toward the crack of the window again, "Sorry Tanner, I am going to have to break my promise to you already."


	10. Decisions, Decisions

Sorry about the delay, I have been VERY busy!  I hope you like this chapter!  The next should be very interesting as well.  Please let me know what you think!  

Darwin

Chapter Ten: Decisions, Decisions….

Michelle stood again wondering vaguely what she _was_ going to do now.  She looked down at her clothes, noting that they were covered in a gray powdery substance, especially where she had leaned against Tanner on their blind flight through the park.  She concluded it was Tanner's blood, turned to a stony dust by the light of day.  She patted at it watching as much of it rose as fine dust, thought the majority of it still stained her shirt; stiffening the fabric.

"Get out of these clothes first," She muttered, "Good thing I brought my gym clothes along today."

She had been of the intention of going to the gym after their date last night and brought a set of appropriate garments with her.  Now they provided her with a means of getting out of the obviously stained clothes that she was wearing; so as not to be conspicuous.

Michelle kneeled down and pulled the garments from her carry-all purse.  She set the garments atop one of the boxes and started to unbutton her shirt.  She paused when she caught a glimpse of Tanner's stony form on the floor.  His unseeing eyes were fixed on her and she had the unnerving thought suddenly that he might be able to see her.  She picked up the outfit and sidled behind a fairly tall set of crates.

"Sorry, guy," She said softly, "I'm not taking any chances."

She changed quickly, hastily folding her dressier clothes and stuffing them into the bag, now bulging from the extra mass.  Michelle moved closer to Tanner, intent on taking a look at the sleeping gargoyle up close, but she jumped back as something under her feet cracked loudly.  Confused, she knelt down trying to get a better look at what she had broken.

All around Tanner's form was a thin sheet of what looked like concrete runoff, and Michelle picked up a section looking at it closely, "What in the world?" She uttered, looking around her again.  She didn't remember this being here when they had arrived.  Michelle had a sudden flash image of her shirt, of how Tanner's blood had turned to dust in the daylight.  Her hand went to her mouth in realization, again glancing around his body.

He had been bleeding all night!  While she had known he had been hurt, she had naturally assumed that the wounds would scab over sometime during the night.  The room had been dark and it had been hard to see, and Tanner had not complained that he was hurt worse than minor scratches, so she had thought that he was going to be OK.  She knew that he was bad when he had collapsed that morning…that he had been weak, but she didn't realize that he had been that far gone.

Michelle wondered with dread, just how close he had been to death when the sun had risen?  Was he so close that he would not awaken again?  That thought sent a chill through her body as an image of the one they had called Hudson came to mind.  She had seen that on the web site as well, how the old Gargoyle had gone to sleep one dawn, never to wake again.  There had been a picture accompanying the story, one of a portly stone gargoyle sitting atop the highest point of the Eerie Tower while the moon shined over his shoulder.  If the stories were to be believed that is.  After all pictures could be doctored and stories often padded to sound more exciting or heart wrenching than they really were.

Somehow that story had rung with validity.   That in turn scared her, because if Tanner had been far enough gone, he might not wake either.  Kneeling next to him she ran a hand over his stony face, "You'd better be OK," She said softly.

Michelle wished there was some way to know for sure what his condition was going to be when he woke tonight.

The question recurred to her, what was she going to do for the remainder of the day?

That madwoman…gargoyle whatever she was…and if Tanner could be taken at his word, was still out there and hunting them both.  Eventually she would check this shack for their presence, and then what?

Tanner said that she became human during the day, what harm could she be?  Michelle's lips thinned, thinking of several answers for that and that none of them were positive.  Perhaps she should tell someone what had happened…But who?  She couldn't go to the police, they were not amenable to helping Gargoyles and they would probably treat her like a nutcase.  Then where?  The Eerie Building!  Of course!  The man Xanatos would help her out, he was their ally. 

That decided, she started gathering her things together.  Most of her purse she could leave here, but she was sure to pack her gun, replacing the bullet that she had expended shooting the creature last night and checking her supply of extra's.  If she ran across this woman while getting to the Eerie Building she wanted to be prepared.

She looked back to Tanner momentarily, "I'll be back, Tanner, I swear, and hopefully with some help."

She retreated out the tumbled section of wall that they had first come into the building by.  The front door had been solidly blocked, and even Tanner with his strength had been unable to budge the door.  In desperation they had searched the perimeter of the building for another entrance to their only hope to wait out the day.  At first they couldn't find anything, but Tanner had stumbled over a crate stacked outside and revealed the stones tumbled into a pile and the dark hole that gave them a way in.  It was easily large enough for Michelle to get into, but Tanner had to stoop and hunch his shoulders to squeeze into the small opening.

Michelle was cautious as she stepped out into the brightening day, peering around the restacked crates that gave the illusion that there was nothing there.  She carefully stepped around them and dashed for a close-by bush.  She repeated this process several more times, until she considered herself far enough away not to attract attention to the shack where Tanner's lifeless form lay hidden.

Michelle approached the building, anxious and awed all at the same time.   She had read so much about the history of this building, and the Gargoyles who had once and again called the castle at its pinnacle home.  She had wanted to come to New York, not just to become a dancer, not just because she wanted to help Tyler get established over here, but she had wanted to meet the gargoyles…again.

They probably did not remember the events of the night that they met, because they were always saving people.  But for Michelle it was vividly etched in her mind.

_She had been ten at the time, and she her mom and dad had gone to San Francisco for a combination of business with Dad's work and vacation.  They had been in china town, one of the many Touristy stops that they had gone to on their weeklong stay there.  They had been salmon fishing, and shopping, and sightseeing.  By the time they hit ten o'clock in Chinatown Michelle had been exhausted and more than ready to go back to the amenities of the hotel room, including Cartoon Network on the cable selections._

_Michelle did not know why the gargoyles were in 'Frisco, and even now she was never certain about their business there.  At the time of the event she had never even heard the word Gargoyles except as legends about protecting homes and buildings from evil spirits._

_They had been just leaving when a very bad element had come into the neighborhood.  She had thought a first that the gang had come for them, upstanding and very wealthy looking American family.  But the truth had ended up being far worse.  Dad had turned them around, deciding to find another way out of the place only to find that a rival gang was blocking that way out.  Michelle had never been so scared in her life.  She could feel the tension mounting around them, the almost palpable sensation of foreboding._

_Then a miracle occurred, the sound of swooshing wings filled the air only outdone by growls and howls of rage.  Four winged figures had swooped out of the night sky surrounding her family like a fleshy wall. Through the shifting forms around her she could see the gang member stepping back.  She was too awed by the creatures protecting them that she did not feel her mom's fingers digging heavily into her shoulder._

_Suddenly the creatures leapt toward both sides of the gang fight, fighting off and chasing away the would-be assailants of her family.  But one hung back.  He was smaller, tan in color, but taller than she was, nearly as tall as her mom.  He had graceful brow tines that encircled his head, and dark hair that fell to just above where his wings started._

_"It's Ok," His young voice said, rather high, but full of confidence in his actions, "Come with me, I will lead you to safety."_

_Though they were all apprehensive they knew instinctively that anything was better than staying where they were.  He moved quickly and they had to run to keep up with his long strides.  They only moved several hundred yards away from the action and then the young gargoyle slowed.  It was a dead end and he ushered them into it and then stood like a sentry before them to prevent any harm befalling them._

_"We'll wait here," he said sternly.  It seemed like such a long time as they waited there, the gargoyle watching the pitch beyond their hiding place, his tail twitching rapidly, and every now and again he would rock up onto the balls of his feet as if trying to get a better look around them._

_It wasn't too long before a deep voice called out of the darkness, "Tanner?"_

_"Father!" The young Gargoyle cried happily, leaping forward, and covering the ground on all fours.  He skidded to a stop at the entrance to the alley calling, "Over here!"_

_Three figures hove into view, one very tall and broad, with a wide stern face and broad shoulders.  Another was female, of the same skin tone as the tallest thought her hair was a shade or so lighter.  The other was much older than the other three, imposing despite his years._

_The tallest Gargoyle smiled down at the smaller gargoyle as if proud of him, "Well done, Tanner," he said aloud then looked to her family, "Are you all alright?"_

_Michelle heard her mom and dad utter sounds that nearly sounded positive, looking up to see them nodding in jerky ways._

_In the distance sirens sounded as the police finally caught the hint that something was wrong in their area of responsibility._

_The big gargoyle glanced toward the sound then back to those with him, "Time for us to go."_

_The rest around them nodded and in awe Michelle watched as they began to scale the very building they stood next to.  The littlest paused turning back toward them, and stepped up close to Michelle.  He tilted his head to one side looking at her in an oddly curious way._

_"Tanner!" The large one called down, now very high up the building._

_"Coming Father!" The little one called.  But he turned back toward her one more time, "Bye."_

_With that he had climbed back up the building and she was privy to one last glimpse of the four as they took to the sky._

She had never expected to see any of the gargoyles, nor had thought that Tanner and she would have such a close encounter. That was not necessarily a good thing, especially considering the circumstances.

Michelle focused again on the enormously high building looming above her, sighing anxiously.  There was a thought that she was going to sound ludicrous trying to enlist David Xanatos' help.  But she had to try, and she hoped that she could get help back to Tanner before that Demona woman found him in such a helpless state. 

As non-chalantly as she could Michelle walked over to the security desk, pausing and flipping her hair out of her face.

The security guard looked up at her seeming unhappy to have been disturbed, "May I help you?"

"Um, yes," She started, "I need to see Mr. Xanatos."

"Do you have a scheduled appointment?"  The man asked blinking slowly.

"Um, no," She watched him lean back his face screwing up in frustration, "But this is rather an emergency."

"You're not the first to claim that lady, and you won't be the last.  David Xanatos is a very busy…"

"It's about Tanner," She interrupted, "There's been trouble in the park…Xanatos will know what I am talking about!"

"I'm sorry," he said sounding anything but, and rising from his seat, "I am going to have to ask you to leave."

"But…"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Xanatos strictly prohibits visits with out appointments.  Now you either leave or I will have to get security to escort you out.  It's your choice."

"Will you at least give him the message for me?"

"Hmph," The man responded, pointing diffidently toward the ornate doors leading back to the street.

Despondently she turned and left, frantic inside about what to do.  There was urgency in her to get back to his side before too much time had passed.

Michelle's heart quickened in her chest as she came back to find the boxed that had been neatly piled to hide their entrance, tumbled down and the hole in the wall neatly exposed to even casual onlookers.  She stopped dead, but only long enough to retrieve her gun from her bag.  She held it ready, but not in the firing position, it was a big gun and heavy, so the less she had to hold it up the better her shots would be if she needed to take them.  She sidled to the opening, bringing the gun up and peeking through it before exposing herself to possible danger.

What she saw however made her heart near stop and she jumped into the room intent to stop what was about to happen.  There was a woman in the room standing over the stony form of Tanner a large lead pipe held high above her head.  She was tall, lithe, and well muscled, and dressed in a skimpy top and rough bottoms.  The thought was in the back of her mind that this was Demona, in her human form.

"Stop!" Michelle bellowed at him and the woman jumped at the sound of her voice.

The woman half turned around her wild mane of red hair half covering her face as she regarded Michelle. 

"You think you can stop me?" She sneered tensing and sending the pipe suddenly swinging down.

Michelle reacted, pulling the trigger and hitting the woman in the base of the neck.  The pipe flew out of her hands hitting the red head twice in the back before she fell awkwardly across Tanner's statue.

"How many times must I shoot you?"  Michelle muttered.  Then she remembered what else Tanner had told her about this woman…she was immortal, and though the shot she had taken should have killed her, it would not be long before she would rejoin the living.  That meant that Michelle would have to get her out of here and somehow barricade herself and Tanner into the building.

She set about dragging the lifeless body of Demona out of the room.  Michelle then moved to repairing the wall in order to make it harder for Demona to get back into their hiding spot.

"But," she thought, "It would not take her long to dig her way back in here, especially once night falls."

Thinking hard she glanced around her at all of the crates and boxes that were stacked moldering around her.  A light came on in her head, she might not be able to stop Demona from getting in, but there was a way she could hamper her progress.  

Michelle began smashing the boxes around her making long sharp splinters out of the planks.  She then stepped outside tumbling and stacking boxes around the entrance, both to screen her work and to act as a secondary stalling method.  She, as quickly as she could began stacking the tumbled stones back into the gaping hole, wedging them up with some of the larger pieces of planks.  When the first layer had been set, sealing the hole she then began to intersperse some of the sharp splinters in amongst the stones.  Demona was going to be livid when she came to again, and not thinking she would tear at the weak section of stone, intent on destroying them both utterly as soon as she gained access.  With any luck Michelle's plan would cause grievous if temporary injury as the booby trapped stones with their thorns would impale and cut her hands.

Perhaps that would give them enough time for help to have arrived.  She looked down a moment as futility engulfed her.  There was every possibility that her message had never gotten to her intended recipient.  If Xanatos did not get the message, then the Gargoyles would have no idea where their wayward son was.  

Michelle turned as she heard the sound of stone cracking open behind her.


	11. Trapped

Chapter Eleven: Trapped

Blood quickened in Tanner's veins as consciousness returned to him.  He arched his back up stiffening his wings as he broke the outer shell that was trying vainly to hold him in sleep.  Pain returned with waking, duller than the previous night, but still firmly present across his chest.   He relaxed and lay back down again, feeling the cool floor under him fight the painful sensation and waiting for it to subside long enough for him think again.

When the pulling feeling finally stopped, Tanner drew his arms in propping slowly up on his elbows as his wings fluttered uselessly, then gathered his knees up under him, intent on regaining his feet.  He started when a hand lay on one shoulder, turning quickly toward the person.  His pain teared eyes found a thin blonde woman kneeling next to him again.  He turned away from her pushing himself into a sitting position.

"Why are you still here?" He rasped, "You promised you'd go home…"

Michelle was nodding at him, "I know…But I couldn't do it.  I had to make sure that you were OK." 

"I'm fine," Tanner assured her.

She stepped closer to him, "No you're not.  You're in pain…I can see it in your face," She laid a hand on his chest tracing the still brilliantly painted lines of tissue, "These have just barely healed over."

Tanner laid his larger hand over the top of hers, and that longing feeling coursed through him again, unbidden.  Gently he pushed her had free of the scars still there, "I promise I will be fine.  Another night and they will be no more."

"You're sure?" Michelle said tilting her head to one side in a dubious expression.

Tanner nodded smiling ruefully, "I have lived with this all my life, Michelle, take my word for it."

"OK," She said and then fell silent.

"Why didn't you stay away?" Tanner said noticing that she was in different clothes than she had been that morning, "I really don't want to see you hurt."

"I went to get us some help," Michelle started, "I went to the Eerie Building to get a hold of Xanatos shortly after you went to sleep.  I was scared…especially with the amount of blood that was on the floor…I thought that you might not even wake.  I had to come back…To be sure that you would return to the living," She paused again then looked at him sternly, "And if I hadn't come back you would not have awakened Tanner," Michelle finished hotly, "Demona would have smashed you to bits."

Tanner's whole body tensed at the sound of Demona's name, and his muscles retaliated to the movement by protesting painfully, "She was here?"

Michelle nodded.

Tanner looked down running a hand through his hair a moment, "Thank you," He said reluctantly and feeling bad for his harsh words.  He looked about them noticing the blocked and reinforced hole that they had entered here through, "So we're trapped?"

Michelle could only nod again.

"And where is Demona?"

"I dragged her as far as I could from the building," She shook her head, "Which wasn't far.  And she should recover anytime now.  The barricade was all I could think to do."

"I don't know that it is going to be enough when she resumes her Gargoyle form."

"Probably not," Michelle answered and then paused as his words actually sank in, "When she resumes…" not "Now that she has…" and Michelle turned her attention to the sliver of light that was filtering through the window.  Her wide eyes were suddenly back on Tanner and she unknowingly took a step back from him, "Wait a minute…"

"It's still daylight," Tanner finished for her, having correctly interpreted her expression and subsequent action, then nodded, "I know."

"But…but…"

"There are things about me that you do not know," Tanner said straightening to his full height, "There are reasons…that…I do not wish to tell you, that explain my inability to heal properly…for waking while still light outside," Tanner took a deep breath, "I am afraid of what you might look on me as…if I reveal my secret."

"Don't you think you can trust me?" Michelle said shaking her head and sounding hurt.

Tanner smiled wanly nodding, "Of course.  It's just difficult to explain…"

Michelle was about to rebut his dodge when an inhuman scream rent the air and both of their attentions turned to the hastily built barrier between them and the Gargress hunting them.

Both of them could hear muffled curses as Demona set about tearing aside their meager protections from her wrath.

"Where is he?" Elisa asked loudly, storming into the high vaulted main chamber of Castle Wyvern.  Her voice was low and powerful reflecting her concern as much as her body language was.  Xanatos had informed her merely a half hour ago about the situation facing the Gargoyles how none of the staff had seen Tanner's sleeping form on even the most remote parapet in the castle for two nights running.  She was livid that he had waited so long to tell her what was an imperative piece of news.  Then matters at work had held her up, and by the time she had arrived here she was a right terror.

Goliath turned slowly to face her; unable to help thinking that she was beautiful when she was angry.

"We don't know," Goliath answered her softly as she stomped to a halt in front of him, "The last we knew, Tanner had gone to watch the concert in the park."

"That was three nights ago!" Elisa sputtered in exasperation.

"Yes," Goliath confirmed, "And I am worried…He has never been gone so long from the castle without word.  Something has gone wrong."

Elisa sat on her hot retort to the obvious statement, seeing the subtle lines in his face that told her that he was as torn with this predicament as she was.  There was a fierce pride in him, the same pride that she had seen many times when Angela had come to find trouble, especially during the Avalon Quest so many years ago.

Goliath went on when Elisa said nothing, "We started sending patrols through Manhattan last night when he did not return as expected, but have been unsuccessful in tracking him down."

"Rumor has it that Demona is back from Europe," another voice chimed in and the two of them turned in surprise and shock and watched Brooklyn step over to join their discussion.

"What!" they both said fearfully.

"When?" Goliath added with that air of authority that he still possessed even now.

"There was a confirmed sighting last night," Brooklyn answered turning his head up to meet his leader's eyes, "Another source has reported that she was also seen at the same concert that Tanner had attended three nights ago.  In both of her forms," He added in disgust.

"No," Goliath said as the possible connection hit him, "She wouldn't!"

"You know her as well or better than I do," Brooklyn said derisively, "I wouldn't put it past her to take revenge on the boy."

As if on cue, Xanatos joined the three of them and said without invitation, "I have something that all of you may be interested in."

He then stepped over to a nearby video board, out of place in such medieval settings, and pressed several codes in, "I was going through the security tapes for the day when one of them caught my eye."

They all turned to the screen as a view of the lobby and the security desk flickered to life on the screen.  They watched with rapt and horrified attention as a young blond woman came up to the desk and her mid range carrying voice filled the room, "…It's about Tanner…There's been trouble in the park…Xanatos will know what I am talking about." 

"Who is she?" Elisa asked, "I don't think I have seen her before…is she one of the P.F.I.T members?"

"No," Brooklyn said narrowing his eyes at the paused image on their screen, "Unless she is really new, and Tanner wasn't at the last local meeting."

"I do not recognize her," Goliath added shaking his head and frowning.

"Nor do I," Xanatos said, "But she seems to either know or suspect something about you…and my connection to you."

"You haven't exactly kept that connection private," Brooklyn said bracingly.

"True," Xanatos conceded, "But she still shouldn't know Tanner by name."

"When was this recorded," Elisa asked changing gears.

"About seven this morning," Xanatos answered.

"But…we searched the park last night," Brooklyn said irritated at the suggestion that they might not have been thorough enough.

"It is possible," Elisa said distantly, "I mean if Demona is involved, and the evidence is pretty strongly supporting that hypothesis, then it is possible Tanner is hurt, and that he has gone to ground to stay out of her way."

Elisa and Goliath exchanged knowing and scared looks as they were reminded suddenly of their own flight through that very park only a night after their first meeting.

"Then how _are_ we going to find them?" Brooklyn posed to them.

"He should be fine by now," Xanatos shrugged, "He may even be on his way back by now."

But Goliath and Elisa were now shaking their heads in the negative, and Elisa responded by saying, "He doesn't heal in just one night, especially if it is a bad injury.  He is not going to be up to another round with Demona, if this girl is to be believed."

"That's right," Xanatos said as if it was a minor detail, "Slipped my mind."

Elisa's hackles rose Goliath could see it in her, but he interjected before tempers flared, "We need to find him, before Demona does, hurt or not."

Brooklyn sighed, "Well at least now we know to concentrate our search on the park."

"If the woman can be believed," Xanatos added.

"Do we want to take the chance that she may be telling the truth?" Elisa quipped at him.

"Of course not."

Tanner and Michelle watched the barricade before them as if it was going to turn into a viewscreen and give them a front row seat at watching Demona come after them.  The sound of rocks clicking against each other was punctuated on occasion with howls of pain as Demona came into contact with the large splinters interspersed densely amongst the rocks.  Those were mixed with the more frequent and steadily louder curses and promises of a slow painful and bloody death once she had broken through to them.

All of this and there was no place for them to go.  The door despite their best efforts was still firmly warped into its frame, the windows too small for Tanner to get through, even if Michelle could squeeze herself through.  Though her escape was possible, Tanner forbade it, knowing that Demona would tear her limb from limb for shooting and "Killing" her twice in as many nights.

There was a long pause in her tearing cursing progress as night fell, and Tanner felt gooseflesh of nerves wash over his skin as her scream of torment rent the night.  He slowly moved Michelle in behind him readying himself for her inevitable breakthrough to their cramped hiding place.  He hoped that it would not end up their tomb.

"Stay behind me," He whispered urgently, "Do not get involved, whatever happens to me, you must escape.  Go back to the Eerie Building, straight to the elevators to the left in the lobby and punch in this code…4-9-5-7-6-9-8-9-1.  You go that?" He said sparing her a glance only long enough for her to assure him with a nod, "Find Xanatos, or Goliath or Brooklyn and tell them precisely where we are and what is happening."

"O…OK," She answered.

"Promise me!" Tanner urged.

"I promise!" Michelle said urgently.

Their attention turned momentarily back to the now tumbling wall of rock that had gave them brief respite.  Michelle watched as Tanner crouched on all fours in front of the hole, tucking his wings close to his body.  She could feel the tension mount as one stone came loose revealing moving blue flesh beyond the building.  Tanner didn't wait for Demona to widen the hole, but instead, he rushed it.  The barrier broke outward, showering Demona in the remaining stones and stunning her a moment while Tanner wrapped her up in his powerful arms.

She was now draped over one shoulder as Tanner's momentum carried them out into the surrounding forest.  She was quick to recover pushing her self into a more upright position and preparing to lay her poisoned claws into his skin again.

Before she could Tanner flung Demona away and her body smashed heavily against a tree.  He rushed in again and Michelle jumped, appalled as he thrust his whole hand into her gut and ripped up and then out spilling her entrails over the ground.

Demona looked shocked for only a moment, but then smiled saying, "I knew you had a killer's instinct boy…I told you I could teach you something!"

She lashed out not seeming to notice the ropes of intestine looping around her ankles and dragging behind her as she persued Tanner's retreating form.  Tanner watched in horror as her injury began to repair itself, her guts retracting into her belly like a stretched Bungee cord relaxing.  Shortly there was no injury at all.

"You've only taught me how to hate you, woman," Tanner panted, and Michelle could see that his pain was hampering him.

Demona smiled again, "Hate will keep you strong…it will make you powerful."

"I don't want power!" Tanner spit.  He sidestepped her charge, raking long claws through one wing from inner joint to edge of leather.  Demona cried out indignantly as the tatters lashed in the stiff summer breeze that was blowing now that he sun had retired.

Demona drew her wings close to her body, and started for him again.  But she paused again as something other than Tanner caught her attention.  Her eyes narrowed and she smiled wickedly as she saw easier prey.  Tanner turned his head seeing Michelle standing frozen not thirty feet from where they were fighting.  He understood immediately Demona's intentions and leapt after her.  He lashed his arms about her dragging her heavily to the ground.

"Michelle…Get out of here!" He admonished her watching as she jumped from her daze, nodded and then turned to run.

Michelle didn't get far.


	12. Salvation and Revelation

Alrighty then…here is the next, and final chapter of this story.  Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to review this story and/or leave me a rating (For those of you on gargoyles-fans).  It has been a great boon to my writing that so many of you have supported this story! 

 Is there anything else in store…I don't rightly know yet.  This was only supposed to be a trilogy of stories, but I may go back and tell of Michelle's first experience with the Gargoyles…what do you think? Email me and let me know!

Take care and thank you again for all of the support!

Darwin

Chapter Twelve: Salvation and Revelation

Many things happened following Tanner's orders for Michelle to go find help and all of them seemingly at the same time.  Demona kicked free of Tanner's clutches, cutting him yet again across his left thigh, and started for Michelle.  Michelle had finally had the information contained in Tanner's order sink in and was finally running from the scene.  Michelle ran as fast as her legs could carry her, but she was sure that any moment there would be a clawed hand on her shoulder rending her flesh.  She didn't chance to look back, fearful of what she would see.

There was a rush of air making her duck momentarily, and a blur of color dropped seemingly from the nowhere, blocking her escape.  A sudden flash of anxiety went through her, and fleetingly she thought that Demona might have accomplices of her own.  Michelle skidded across the short grass in an attempt to a stop, but thudded heavily into the body now directly in her path.  Before she could get a good look, the gargoyle said, "Get out of the way!" and bodily pushed Michelle past it.  

Michelle stumbled in an attempt to maintain her feet, and then whirled around to face the way she had come.  Demona slid to a stop much as Michelle had, in front of what turned out to be another Gargress.  The Gargoyle separating Michelle from Demona was dark haired, so brown it was nearly black, and her skin tone was a dark, almost purple, blue.  Her wings quickly folded around her body as she faced Demona, seeming to possess utter confidence in her control of the situation.  Michelle's eyes were drawn away as other streaks of color fell out of the night sky creating a loose circle around the drama unfolding between them.  Her gaze lingered as she watched the gargoyle that could only be Goliath aiding the further injured Tanner to his feet.

"Get out of the way Angela," Michelle heard Demona growl.

"No, Mother I will not," The other said, and shaking her head she added.  Michelle started at that. Her mother?  Good lord, she had never heard anything about that on the Internet.  Looking closer she saw that there was a resemblance there they nobody could deny, her face and her build were nearly identical to that of the Demon who had been after her and Tanner for three nights.  Another thought quickly followed on the heels of the first, even as the one named Angela said, "Why?  Why are you attacking my brother?"

Michelle chanced a look at Tanner who had retreated slightly behind his slightly larger father, limping heavily and holding tightly to a wound that now glared from his thigh.  

If the gargoyle named Angela and Tanner were siblings, and Goliath was Tanner's father…did that mean that Tanner had been battling his own mother for the past three nights?  Her eyes drifted back toward the drama unfolding before her.

Demona gathered herself up, straightening to her full height, but she didn't answer the younger gargoyle, which was now standing with arms folded across her chest.

"Are you so hateful that you would attack even one who has never before set eyes on you?"  It was Goliath talking now and slowly approaching his former mate.  Michelle was now thoroughly confused, her previous theory in doubt.  Could it be that she had left the Clan before Tanner's hatching?  But then why would she attack her own spawn?

Demona whirled around to face Goliath, yet still remained silent, seeming to notice that she was hemmed in by five different Gargoyles, her eyes darting this way and that as the circle closed about her.

With a feral growl of frustration and hate, Demona leapt for the air, and Goliath rose up to try and drag her back down, but barely missed latching onto her ankle. She gained a tree limb above the group and quickly disappeared from sight.  The larger Gargoyle sighed heavily as he slowly lowered his arm to his side.

"Broadway! Lexington!  Go after her," A smaller burnt orange hued gargoyle called out with authority.

"No!" Goliath bellowed, "Let her go, Brooklyn.  It would do no good to try and hold her and we both know it."

The smaller gargoyle looked ready to argue, even as the two he had ordered out were frozen halfway through the act of following Brooklyn's orders.  After a few moments of staring at each other the smaller relented and Lexington and Broadway relaxed their stances.

Goliath turned toward Tanner saying, "Are you all right?"

"I will be," Tanner said in a voice that was tinged with exhaustion and pain.  Michelle cautiously approached the two of them.  The others seemed not to notice that she was even there anymore, but the two gargoyles so much the reflection of each other both sensed her approach and turned their heads to face her.

Goliath straightened wrapping his large wings around his body in a living cape; he then looked back at his son with a raised eyebrow.  Tanner looked fleetingly embarrassed but turned to Michelle saying, "Are _you_ alright?"

She nodded, "Confused, but none the worse for wear."

Tanner smiled a little then turned back to his father, "How did you find us?"

Goliath looked back to the woman standing in their midst, "Xanatos showed us the video of your visit to the building." He said speaking directly to Michelle.  She flushed bright red for a reason she could not explain, "It allowed us to concentrate our search in the park."

"How long have you been looking?" Tanner asked next, seeming guilty of something.

"Since last night," Goliath said and his voice this time was tinged with the worry he had felt.

"I'm sorry Father, I disobeyed you," Tanner said, unable to meet his eyes.

This time Goliath looked confused, "Oh?"

"I did not come back to the castle after the concert, nor the next day as I should have," Tanner admitted, "If I had, none of this trouble would have happened."

"Why did you not come back?" Goliath asked evenly.  Tanner's eyes were unable to help the glance to Michelle.

"I…met Michelle," Tanner finally said.  Goliath raised his head slightly sighing as he nodded, seemingly in both disappointment and understanding.

"I see," He said simply, but it was weighted with undertones, and Michelle wondered what it was she was hearing in what the tall gargoyle was not saying.

Before more could be said a red and white classic car came to a screeching halt near where they were all now closely gathered.  A slight, dark haired woman stepped out and ran to where Michelle's partner the past few nights stood.

"Tanner!" The woman said in a voice that was both anxious and joyous.

"Mother!" Tanner said in relief, hugging the dark haired woman tightly. 

Michelle blanched a moment as the implications of their conversation hit her.  Tanner's mother was…human?  While she was relieved that his mother was not that psychotic Gargress that had been intent on destroying them both, she was overwhelmed by a feeling that she couldn't describe, unsure about the fact Tanner had been born…not hatched…born of a human mother.  She thought reluctantly that it might be disgust in the way something like that must have happened.  

Michelle hated herself for even considering that, when she had been the one to make overtures to him after their first meeting.  She had been the forward one, excited by the thought that she was making friends with a gargoyle, even if she couldn't really tell anyone about it.  She had truly come to like Tanner, to feel protective of him, and perhaps even something more.  So why was that feeling suddenly changed for the fact that he was only half of what she thought he was?

 Without realizing she had done it, she found herself on the edges of the group, and turning, not ready to deal with the news she had just received she began walking away.

"I'm so glad you're alright," Elisa said as she pushed back from their embrace and looked Tanner over with a quick and critical eye, "That bitch," She muttered running light fingers over the scars still glaringly obvious on Tanner's chest and arm. Her gaze moved down to take in the blood that Tanner was trying to staunch on his leg, "We need to get this treated," she said to Tanner.  He waved her worry away a moment.

"Mother, I want you to meet someone," Tanner said enthusiastically and one hand on Elisa's upper arm, he turned pointing to where Michelle had been standing, only to find the spot empty.  His expression smoothed over and was replaced by a frown of consternation and anxiety.  His eyes quickly scanned the area finally finding Michelle steadily increasing the distance between.  He turned briefly to his mother looking imploringly into her eyes and she nodded giving him leave to catch her.  Tanner smiled wanly and nodded, turning to catch up with Michelle.

"Michelle," He called, missing the looks the others were following him with.  The woman started at the sound of his voice and he was shocked when she quickened her pace as if to avoid him, "Michelle…Stop!"

As if against her will, Michelle pulled up short at his command and when she turned there was hurt look on her face, and guilt.

"What's wrong?" Tanner asked as he caught up with her.

"I…just need a few moments to think," Michelle replied avoiding his dark eyes.

Tanner stood there a moment his brow furrowing, "Michelle…there's something wrong…what is it?"

Michelle finally met his gaze her eyes watery with tears, "That woman's… your mother?"

It was Tanner's turn to start, realizing belatedly that she had been present when Elisa had come onto the scene.  He had reacted naturally, and in turn given away what he had been trying to keep her from finding out.  He looked down, nodding; "Now you know.  You have every right to hate me for keeping that from you."

"Hate you?" Michelle asked, as if confused, "No, not that.  Uncomfortable, maybe…but I don't hate you." 

"Yet you're running from me," Tanner said and there was an edge of nervous anger in his voice.

"It's not something you hear every day," Michelle snapped, "I mean…damn…I don't know what I mean.  I don't know what I thought this was supposed to be about."

"I don't understand," Tanner said concerned.

"US," She said in exasperation, "Here I am flirting with a gargoyle for heaven sakes.  I guess I never really understood the implications.  I thought it was safe…until," She pointed in the general direction of where Goliath and Elisa stood watching the two of them, "Now I'm feeling a bit, um, awkward…like I may have gotten myself in too deep."

"Michelle," Tanner said slowly taking both of her hands into his own, "You are a friend…I had no intentions on anything else," It was an understatement, and Tanner knew it, but he would not follow that far into his father's footsteps.  There was too much to be lost by that kind of action.  He would deny himself the feelings of longing he had when he was around her. 

Michelle was nodding, as if only half believing of what he was saying to her.  Or perhaps it was that she felt the same way he did in truth.  He shook his head minutely, he would not let himself assume that either.

"So," Michelle said after taking a long breath, "How exactly…I mean you… I understood that it was…improbable, if not impossible for the two species to…um…copulate," She was extremely flustered by her forward line of questioning.

Tanner laughed nervously, "Well…there were other things involved."

"Such as?"  Michelle said, crossing her arms.

"Um…would you believe magic?" Tanner said self effacingly.

"After dealing with an immortal gargoyle and you…both of which 'don't exist'.  I think I could believe that."

Tanner could only nod.  They both fell into an uncomfortable silence.

"It answers a lot," Michelle said succinctly, after the silence seemed to drag on too long,  "You being half human."

"Yes," Tanner said simply.

"Have you always been able to wake so early in the day?" Michelle asked unexpectedly, as if it had been eating at her since he had awakened three hours before sunset.

"No," he answered honestly, "That had just started, the day following my birthday."

"Really?" She asked trying not to sound intrigued.

"The other's don't know," Tanner said quickly, "And I don't want them to know."

"Why not?" Michelle asked confused.

"You don't understand how hard it is for me, being what I am, even within the clan," Tanner said, "There are those who dislike me, for what Goliath allowed to happen.  Those same members of the Clan would not look kindly on any more differences."

"That's silly," Michelle muttered, "They're going to find out sometime…I did."

"It does not have to be now," Tanner added imploringly.

"But what about your inability to heal?"

"That is a handicap that I have had all my life," Tanner said with a shake of his head, "The Clan knows that."

"Didn't that scare you with all the battles you have to get into?  I mean the thought of not being able to heal even once sleep overtakes you?"

"I've learned ways to minimize my risks even in an intense fight."

"I see," Michelle said softly.

Tanner spent the next several hours explaining his life to her. He told her what his parents had told him about their night together, about his own birth, and about the anomalies in him because of that.  He told of the Lady of Avalon's visit and how she had warned him of the 'gift' and the trouble they might cause him.

Tanner then brought her back over to the group and introduced each in turn, and it was only then that Michelle seemed to return to life.  Tonight's revelations seemed to darken her normally bright and happy spirit, and it pained Tanner a little to know that her attitude toward him had darkened slightly.

He watched as she chatted animatedly with some of the others relaying the events of the past several days for them to hear, stopping only occasionally to let Tanner relive his own experiences of the past 72 hours.  He was careful not to reveal his ability to wake early in the day, and was more than grateful that Michelle kept her promise and his secret.

He wondered as the night swiftly gave way to the day, and the Clan had to say their goodbyes, if Michelle would still want to see him anymore.  There was that welling ache in him again at the thought that she might just call their meeting a loss and move on.

When the other's turned to go, and only Tanner Goliath, Michelle and Elisa were left in the small clearing, Tanner turned on his heel and made ready to leap into the nearest tree.  

"Tanner?" Michelle said in a small voice.

He turned toward her again, relaxing his stance, he was sure that he looked anxious to her eyes, "Yes."

"If I haven't acted too much like a jerk tonight," She paused looking down, and then slowly back into his eyes, flipping her long hair out of her face, "Would you like to meet me tonight?"

Tanner smiled his chest swelling and warmth spreading back through him.  He glanced at his mother and father, looking for some kind of sign of disapproval.  Elisa was holding to Goliath's waist and he in turn rested a hand on her slight shoulder, and they were both smiling with knowing looks.

"Sure," he said happily, "But how about we make it at the castle?"

"Oh, I'd love to see your home," Michelle said with the enthusiasm he had liked the moment that they had first met.

The End


End file.
